,i  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #idac  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #bc1 #bjbf,ms4 
,meng 7for herself and ,mr4             
,fitzpatrick7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,armed ,services  ,a      
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of    
,defense to carry out the ,military     
,family ,limb ,loss and ,limb           
,difference ,support ,program4  #a4     
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,military ,family ,limb ,loss       
,support ,act4  #b4 ,military ,family   
,limb ,loss and ,limb ,difference       
,support ,program  7a7 ,establishment   
,beginning in fiscal year #bjbh1 the    
,secretary of ,defense shall establish a
 program1 to be known as the ,military  
,family ,limb ,loss and ,limb           
,difference ,support ,program 7in this  
section referred to as the ,program71 to
 augment the holistic rehabilitative    
care for covered beneficiaries with limb
 loss or limb dysfunction through peer  

mentoring1 education1 and community     
outreach4  7b7 ,activities ,the ,program
 shall include-- 7#a7 peer mentorship   
and family support services2  7#b7      
education related to limb loss care and 
services2  7#c7 community reintegration 
supports2  7#d7 coordination of         
nonclinical resources2  7#e7 outreach   
and awareness activities2 and  7#f7 such
 other activities as the ,secretary     
considers appropriate4  7c7             
,partnerships ,in carrying out the      
,program1 the ,secretary may enter into 
a cooperative agreement or contract with
 one or more organizations that have    
demonstrated experience in carrying out 
the activities described in subsection  
7b7 in virtual or in-person settings to 
support individuals with limb loss or   
limb difference1 including individuals  
belonging to pediatric1 military1 or    
veteran populations4  7d7               
,implementation plan ,not later than    
#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  

shall submit to the ,committees on      
,armed ,services of the ,senate and the 
,house of ,representatives a plan for   
implementing the ,program that-- 7#a7   
describes the process for selecting and 
entering into cooperative agreements or 
contracts with organizations under      
subsection 7c72  7#b7 estimates the     
costs and staffing needs of implementing
 the ,program2  7#c7 assesses the extent
 to which existing resources and        
programs of the ,department of ,defense 
can support the ,program2  7#d7 includes
 performance metrics the ,secretary will
 use to evaluate the effectiveness of   
the ,program2 and  7#e7 requires        
integration of the ,program with        
research efforts of the military health 
system to improve health care quality1  
access and outcomes for members of the  
,armed ,forces and their families4  7e7 
,reports required ,not later than one   
year after the date on which the        
,program is implemented1 and annually   
for three years thereafter1 the         

,secretary shall submit to the          
,committees on ,armed ,services of the  
,senate and the ,house of               
,representatives a report that includes1
 for the year preceding submission of   
the report-- 7#a7 the number and        
demographic characteristics of covered  
beneficiaries served by the ,program2   
7#b7 a description of services provided 
and partnerships established under the  
,program2  7#c7 an assessment of gaps in
 services or geographic coverage of the 
,program2 and  7#d7 recommendations for 
legislative or administrative action to 
improve support for military families   
affected by limb loss or limb           
difference4  7f7 ,covered beneficiary   
defined ,in this section1 the term      
covered beneficiary means--  7#a7 an    
individual who has experienced limb loss
 or limb difference2 and  7#b7 is--     
7,a7 a dependent of a member or retired 
member of the ,armed ,forces2 or  7,b7  
otherwise eligible for health care under
 chapter #ee of title #aj1 ,united      

,states ,code1 as determined appropriate
 by the ,secretary4