I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8887 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a grant program 

to increase access to medical care for retired Federal working dogs, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 28, 2024 

Mr. FITZPATRICK (for himself and Mr. QUIGLEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish 

a grant program to increase access to medical care for 

retired Federal 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 ‘‘Honoring our K9 He5 roes Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH INCREASED ACCESS TO 

2 MEDICAL CARE FOR RETIRED FEDERAL 

3 WORKING DOGS THROUGH CERTAIN HOME4 LAND SECURITY GRANTS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title XX of the 

6 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 603 et seq.) 

7 is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 

8 ‘‘SEC. 2010. GRANTS FOR INCREASED ACCESS TO MEDICAL 

9 CARE FOR RETIRED FEDERAL WORKING 

10 DOGS. 

11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 

12 grant program under which eligible entities may enter into 

13 an agreement with the Secretary to cover a portion of 

14 medical care expenses for retired Federal working dogs de15 scribed in subsection (d). 

16 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity is eligible to re17 ceive a grant under the program established pursuant to 

18 subsection (a) if such entity— 

19 ‘‘(1) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the In20 ternal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax21 ation under section 501(a) of such Code; 

22 ‘‘(2) provides assistance for medical care for re23 tired Federal law enforcement and military working 

24 dogs; and 


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1 ‘‘(3) prior to the date of application, has not 

2 less than a two-year history of providing such assist3 ance. 

4 ‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

5 under the program, an eligible entity shall submit to the 

6 Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, 

7 and containing such information as the Secretary may re8 quire. 

9 ‘‘(d) RETIRED FEDERAL WORKING DOGS DE10 SCRIBED.—A retired Federal working dog described in 

11 this subsection— 

12 ‘‘(1) has been issued a retirement letter from 

13 the Federal department or agency that employed 

14 such dog; and 

15 ‘‘(2) is in the care of its handler. 

16 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

17 is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 

18 out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 

19 through 2029.’’. 

20 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

21 in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 

22 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

23 2009 the following new item: 

‘‘Sec. 2010. Grants for increased access to medical care for retired Federal 

working dogs.’’. 

Æ 


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