II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1190 

To provide sufficient blind rehabilitation outpatient specialists at medical 

centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 7, 2005 

Mr. SALAZAR introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL

To provide sufficient blind rehabilitation outpatient specialists at medical centers of the Department of Veterans 

Affairs.

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 ‘‘Blinded Veterans Con5 tinuum of Care Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) There are approximately 135,000 blinded 

9 veterans throughout the United States, including ap10 proximately 35,000 who are enrolled with the De-
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1 partment of Veterans Affairs. An aging veteran pop2 ulation and injuries incurred in Operation Iraqi 

3 Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom are in4 creasing the number of blinded veterans. 

5 (2) Since 1996, when the Department of Vet6 erans Affairs hired its first 14 blind rehabilitation 

7 outpatient specialists (referred to in this Act as 

8 ‘‘Specialists’’, Specialists have been a critical part of 

9 the continuum of care for blind and visually im10 paired veterans. 

11 (3) The Department of Veterans Affairs oper12 ates 10 residential blind rehabilitation centers that 

13 are considered among the best in the world. These 

14 centers have had long waiting lists, with as many as 

15 1,500 blind veterans waiting for openings in 2004. 

16 (4) Specialists provide— 

17 (A) critically needed services to veterans 

18 who are unable to attend residential centers or 

19 are waiting to enter such a program; 

20 (B) a range of services, including training 

21 with living skills, mobility, and adaptation of 

22 manual skills; and 

23 (C) pre-admission screening and follow-up 

24 care for blind rehabilitation centers. 
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1 (5) There are not enough Specialist positions to 

2 meet the increased numbers and needs of blinded 

3 veterans. 

4 SEC. 3. BLIND REHABILITATION OUTPATIENT SPECIALISTS 

5 AT VA MEDICAL CENTERS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

7 shall establish Specialist positions at medical centers 

8 with— 

9 (1) visual impairment services teams with a 

10 full-time coordinator; or 

11 (2) more than 150 currently enrolled legally 

12 blind veterans. 

13 (b) PRIORITIZATION.—In assigning Specialists under 

14 subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 

15 (1) during the first year after the date of enact16 ment of this Act, give priority to any medical center 

17 with more than 400 legally blind veterans enrolled; 

18 (2) during the second year after the date of en19 actment of this Act, give priority to any medical cen20 ter with more than 300 legally blind veterans en21 rolled; 

22 (3) during the third year after the date of en23 actment of this Act, give priority to any medical cen24 ter with more than 200 legally blind veterans en25 rolled; and 
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1 (4) after the 3-year period beginning on the 

2 date of enactment of this Act, give priority to any 

3 medical center with more than 150 legally blind vet4 erans enrolled. 

5 (c) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 

6 March 31 of each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

7 shall submit a report to Congress, which contains— 

8 (1) the number of Specialist positions filled; 

9 (2) the location of each Specialist position; and 

10 (3) the continuum of care offered to blind and 

11 visually impaired veterans. 

12 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

13 There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 

14 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010 to carry out 

15 this Act.

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