I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8167 

To require the Secretary of Defense to award grants to fund research on 

orthotics and prosthetics. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 30, 2024 

Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. NORTON, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 

GOTTHEIMER, Mr. MOYLAN, Mr. RUIZ, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Defense to award grants to 

fund research on orthotics and prosthetics. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Wounded Warrior Re5 search Enhancement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ORTHOTIC AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH. 

7 (a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the grants described 

8 in this section is to advance orthotic and prosthetic clinical 

9 care for members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and civilVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:02 May 22, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8167.IH H8167

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1 ians who have undergone amputation, traumatic brain in2 jury, and other serious physical injury as a result of com3 bat or military experience. 

4 (b) GRANTS FOR RESEARCH ON PATIENT OUT5 COMES.—The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 

6 the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, shall award grants to 

7 persons to carry out research on one or more of the fol8 lowing: 

9 (1) The actions that can be taken to prevent 

10 amputation of limbs. 

11 (2) The point in the course of patient treatment 

12 during which orthotic and prosthetic intervention is 

13 most effective. 

14 (3) The orthotic interventions that are most ef15 fective in treating the physical effects of traumatic 

16 brain injury. 

17 (4) The patients that benefit most from par18 ticular orthotic and prosthetic technologies. 

19 (5) The orthotic and prosthetic services that 

20 best facilitate the return to active duty of members 

21 of the Armed Forces. 

22 (6) The effect of the aging process on the use 

23 of prosthetics, including— 

24 (A) increased skin breakdown; 

25 (B) loss of balance; 


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1 (C) falls; and 

2 (D) other issues that arise during the 

3 aging process. 

4 (c) GRANTS ON MATERIALS RESEARCH.—The Sec5 retary shall award grants to persons to carry out research 

6 on the following: 

7 (1) The improvement of existing materials used 

8 in orthotics and prosthetics for the purpose of im9 proving quality of life and health outcomes for indi10 viduals with limb loss. 

11 (2) The development of new materials used in 

12 orthotics and prosthetics for the purpose of improv13 ing quality of life and health outcomes for individ14 uals with limb loss. 

15 (d) GRANTS ON TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH.—The Sec16 retary shall award grants to persons to carry out research 

17 on the following: 

18 (1) The improvement of existing orthotic and 

19 prosthetic technology and devices for the purpose of 

20 improving quality of life and health outcomes for in21 dividuals with limb loss. 

22 (2) The development of new orthotic and pros23 thetic technology and devices for the purpose of im24 proving quality of life and health outcomes for indi25 viduals with limb loss. 


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1 (e) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.—A person seeking 

2 the award of a grant under this section shall submit to 

3 the Secretary an application therefore in the form and ac4 companied by such information as the Secretary shall re5 quire. 

6 (f) AWARD REQUIREMENTS.— 

7 (1) PEER-REVIEWED PROPOSALS.—Grants 

8 under this section may be awarded only for research 

9 that is peer-reviewed. 

10 (2) COMPETITIVE PROCEDURES.—Grants under 

11 this section shall be awarded through competitive 

12 procedures. 

13 (g) GRANT USE.—A person awarded a grant under 

14 subsection (b), (c), or (d) shall use the grant amount to 

15 carry out the research described in the applicable sub16 section. 

17 (h) REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after the 

18 date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 

19 the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the 

20 Secretary of Veterans Affairs, veterans, community-based 

21 clinicians, and expert researchers in the field of orthotics 

22 and prosthetics, submit to Congress a report setting forth 

23 the following: 

24 (1) An agenda for orthotic and prosthetic re25 search that identifies and prioritizes the most sigVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:02 May 22, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8167.IH H8167

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1 nificant unanswered orthotic and prosthetic research 

2 questions pertinent to the provision of evidence3 based clinical care to members of the Armed Forces, 

4 veterans, and civilians. 

5 (2) For each report after the initial report 

6 under this subsection— 

7 (A) a summary of how the grants awarded 

8 under subsection (b) are addressing the most 

9 significant orthotic and prosthetic needs; and 

10 (B) the progress made towards resolving 

11 orthotic and prosthetic challenges facing mem12 bers of the Armed Forces and veterans. 

13 (i) VETERAN DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

14 ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given that term in section 101 

15 of title 38, United States Code. 

16 (j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

17 authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 for the 

18 Department of Defense for the Defense Health Program, 

19 $30,000,000 to carry out this section. 

Æ 


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