I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8571 

To require the Attorney General to establish a grant program to assist 

with the medical expenses of qualified working dogs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 24, 2024 

Mr. JAMES (for himself and Ms. WILD) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the 

Committees on Armed Services, and Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To require the Attorney General to establish a grant program 

to assist with the medical expenses of qualified working 

dogs, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Protecting America’s 

5 Working Dogs Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The Department of Defense utilizes ap2 proximately 1,600 military working dogs to protect 

3 our nation and keep United States military per4 sonnel out of harm’s way. 

5 (2) Military working dogs have played an inte6 gral role in the success of numerous operations and 

7 missions, including the raids which resulted in the 

8 deaths of Osama bin Laden, the founder of al9 Qaeda, and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of 

10 ISIS. 

11 (3) Working dogs play a critical role in assist12 ing our Armed Forces and Federal and local law en13 forcement in protecting Americans and defending 

14 freedom at home and abroad. 

15 (4) Within the Federal Government, working 

16 dogs assist the U.S. Capitol Police, the Bureau of 

17 Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the 

18 Transportation Security Administration, the Depart19 ment of Defense, U.S. Customs and Border Protec20 tion, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 

21 amongst other Federal departments and agencies. 

22 (5) Almost all working dogs work in tandem 

23 with our Armed Forces and law enforcement officers 

24 until they are no longer medically able, at which 

25 point they are medically separated. 


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1 (6) The future of retired working dogs with re2 spect to ownership and provision of medical services 

3 is often unclear after the working dog is retired. 

4 (7) The medical treatment required by many 

5 former working dogs is significant enough that it 

6 creates a hardship for the individuals, often former 

7 partners, who take in these canine heroes and be8 come responsible for their medical costs. 

9 SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND COVERED MEDICAL EX10 PENSES FOR QUALIFIED WORKING DOGS. 

11 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 fiscal year 

12 after the date of enactment of this Act, and each fiscal 

13 year thereafter for 4 fiscal years, the Attorney General 

14 shall carry out a program under which the Attorney Gen15 eral may award grants, each in amounts not to exceed 

16 $575,000, to eligible nonprofit organizations to assist with 

17 the covered medical expenses of qualified working dogs. 

18 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—A nonprofit organization is eligi19 ble to receive a grant under this section if the organiza20 tion— 

21 (1) primarily exists to care for qualified work22 ing dogs; 

23 (2) provides medically related financial assist24 ance to owners of qualified working dogs; 


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1 (3) allocates not less than 70 percent of its 

2 spending towards program expenses directly related 

3 to assisting with the covered medical expenses of 

4 qualified working dogs; and 

5 (4) separately states the veterinary expenses of 

6 such organization on the Internal Revenue Service 

7 Form 990 filed by such organization with the Inter8 nal Revenue Service. 

9 (c) APPLICATION.—To receive a grant under this sec10 tion, a nonprofit organization shall submit to the Attorney 

11 General an application at such time, in such manner, and 

12 containing such information as the Attorney General may 

13 require, including information that demonstrates that the 

14 nonprofit organization meets the eligibility requirements 

15 under subsection (b). 

16 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—A recipient of a grant under 

17 this section shall use such grant to pay for covered medical 

18 expenses of qualified working dogs. 

19 (e) GRANT AMOUNT REDUCTION.—A grant amount 

20 awarded to an eligible nonprofit organization for a fiscal 

21 year pursuant to this section shall be reduced by an 

22 amount equal to the total amount of unexpended grant 

23 funds awarded under this section in previous fiscal years. 

24 (f) REPORT.—The Attorney General shall submit to 

25 Congress a report that details— 


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1 (1) the number of qualified working dogs as2 sisted pursuant to a grant awarded under this sec3 tion; and 

4 (2) the average medical expenses for each quali5 fied working dog assisted pursuant to a grant 

6 awarded under this section. 

7 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act— 

8 (1) the term ‘‘covered medical expenses’’ means 

9 any expenses related to medical treatment and care 

10 of qualified working dogs, including veterinarian of11 fice visits, medical procedures, diagnostic tests, and 

12 medications or medically necessary supplements; 

13 (2) the term ‘‘qualified working dog’’ means— 

14 (A) a retired dog that worked for the Fed15 eral Government, including the Armed Forces, 

16 to carry out military, security, or law enforce17 ment activity; and 

18 (B) a service dog that works for an indi19 vidual who is a veteran or a retired Federal law 

20 enforcement officer; and 

21 (3) the term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 

22 the term in section 101 of title 38, United States 

23 Code. 

Æ 


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