I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1905 

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

orthotics and prosthetics. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 21, 2015 

Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mr. BEYER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. FORTENBERRY, 

Mr. GIBSON, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. JONES, Ms. KAPTUR, 

Mr. LEVIN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. POCAN, and Mr. RANGEL) 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 00:35 Apr 25, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1905.IH H1905

emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1905 IH

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 shall award grants to 

6 persons to carry out research on the following: 

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

8 amputation of limbs. 

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

10 during which orthotic and prosthetic intervention is 

11 most effective. 

12 (3) The orthotic interventions that are most ef13 fective in treating the physical effects of traumatic 

14 brain injury. 

15 (4) The patients that benefit most from par16 ticular orthotic and prosthetic technologies. 

17 (5) The orthotic and prosthetic services that 

18 best facilitate the return to active duty of members 

19 of the Armed Forces. 

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

21 of prosthetics, including— 

22 (A) increased skin breakdown; 

23 (B) loss of balance; 

24 (C) falls; and 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1905 IH

1 (D) other issues that arise during the 

2 aging process. 

3 (c) GRANTS ON MATERIALS RESEARCH.—The Sec4 retary shall award grants to persons to carry out research 

5 on the following: 

6 (1) The improvement of existing materials used 

7 in orthotics and prosthetics for the purpose of im8 proving quality of life and health outcomes for indi9 viduals with limb loss. 

10 (2) The development of new materials used in 

11 orthotics and prosthetics for the purpose of improv12 ing quality of life and health outcomes for individ13 uals with limb loss. 

14 (d) GRANTS ON TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH.—The Sec15 retary shall award grants to persons to carry out research 

16 on the following: 

17 (1) The improvement of existing orthotic and 

18 prosthetic technology and devices for the purpose of 

19 improving quality of life and health outcomes for in20 dividuals with limb loss. 

21 (2) The development of new orthotic and pros22 thetic technology and devices for the purpose of im23 proving quality of life and health outcomes for indi24 viduals with limb loss. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1905 IH

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 00:35 Apr 25, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1905.IH H1905

emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 1905 IH

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 2016 for the 

18 Department of Defense for the Defense Health Program, 

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

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS