I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1036 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the position of Director 
of Physical Therapy Service within the Veterans Health Administration 
and to establish a fellowship program for physical therapists in the 
areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, polytrauma care, and rehabili-
tation research. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 12, 2009 
Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN (for herself, Mr. HARE, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. SESTAK, 
and Mr. FILNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the 
position of Director of Physical Therapy Service within 
the Veterans Health Administration and to establish a 
fellowship program for physical therapists in the areas 
of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, polytrauma care, 
and rehabilitation research. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Physical 
Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDING. 
The Congress finds that chronic conditions of the 
aging veteran population and the complex impairments as-
sociated with returning veterans from Operation Enduring 
Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 
Iraq have increased the need to recruit and retain physical 
therapists in the Veterans Health Administration. 
SEC. 3. CREATION OF DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY 
SERVICE. 
Paragraph (6) of section 7306(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘a Director of Phys-
ical Therapy Service,’’ after ‘‘a Director of Podiatric Serv-
ice,’’. 
SEC. 4. QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT OF PHYSICAL 
THERAPISTS. 
Section 7402(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (14) 
as paragraphs (11) through (15), respectively, and by in-
serting after paragraph (9) the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(10) PHYSICAL THERAPIST.—To be eligible to 
be appointed to a physical therapist position, a per-
son must— 
‘‘(A)(i) hold the degree of doctor of phys-
ical therapy or other post baccalaureate degree 
in physical therapy from an accredited college 
or university approved by the Secretary; or 
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‘‘(ii) have completed a degree in physical 
therapy from an accredited college or university 
approved by the Secretary and be employed on 
the date of the enactment of this paragraph by 
the Administration as a physical therapist; and 
‘‘(B) be licensed to practice physical ther-
apy in a State.’’. 
SEC. 5. CREATION OF A FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR PHYS-
ICAL THERAPISTS IN THE AREAS OF GERI-
ATRICS, 
AMPUTEE 
REHABILITATION, 
POLYTRAUMA, 
AND 
REHABILITATION 
RE-
SEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 76 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VIII—FELLOWSHIPS FOR PHYS-
ICAL THERAPISTS IN GERIATRICS, AMPU-
TEE REHABILITATION, POLYTRAUMA CARE, 
AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH 
‘‘§ 7691. Authority for program 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established a 
program to be known as the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs Geriatric, Amputee, Polytrauma, and Rehabilitation 
Research Fellowships Program. 
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‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of such program is to 
assist in the recruitment of qualified physical therapists 
for positions in the Veterans Health Administration spe-
cializing in the areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, 
polytrauma care, and rehabilitation research.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter 76 is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VIII—FELLOWSHIPS FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS IN GERIATRICS, 
AMPUTEE REHABILITATION, POLYTRAUMA CARE, AND REHABILITATION RE-
SEARCH 
‘‘Sec. 7691. Authority for program.’’. 
Æ 
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