I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8168 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to establish, 
or expand upon, master’s degree programs in orthotics and prosthetics, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 30, 2024 
Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. NORTON, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 
GOTTHEIMER, Mr. MOYLAN, Mr. RUIZ, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants 
to establish, or expand upon, master’s degree programs 
in orthotics and prosthetics, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Wounded Warrior 
Workforce Enhancement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS EDUCATION IM-
PROVEMENT. 
(a) GRANTS REQUIRED.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall award grants to eligible institutions to 
enable the eligible institutions— 
(A) to establish a master’s degree program 
in orthotics and prosthetics; or 
(B) to expand upon an existing master’s 
degree program in orthotics and prosthetics, in-
cluding by admitting more students, further 
training faculty, expanding facilities, or increas-
ing cooperation with the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Department of Defense. 
(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give pri-
ority in the award of grants under this section to eli-
gible institutions that have entered into an estab-
lished association with a medical center or clinic ad-
ministered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or 
a facility administered by the Department of De-
fense, including by providing clinical rotations at 
such medical center, clinic, or facility. 
(3) GRANT AMOUNTS.—Grants awarded under 
this section shall be in amounts of not less than 
$1,000,000 and not more than $1,500,000. 
(b) REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not 
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less frequently than annually thereafter for two 
years, the Secretary shall issue a request for pro-
posals from eligible institutions for grants under this 
section. 
(2) PROPOSALS.—An eligible institution that 
seeks the award of a grant under this section shall 
submit an application therefor to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
such information as the Secretary may require, in-
cluding— 
(A) demonstration of a willingness and 
ability to participate in an established associa-
tion described in subsection (a)(2); and 
(B) a commitment, and demonstration of 
an ability, to maintain an accredited orthotics 
and prosthetics education program after the 
end of the grant period. 
(c) GRANT USES.— 
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—An 
eligible 
institution 
awarded a grant under this section shall use grant 
amounts to carry out any of the following: 
(A) Building new or expanding existing 
orthotics and prosthetics master’s degree pro-
grams. 
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(B) Training doctoral candidates in fields 
related to orthotics and prosthetics to prepare 
them to instruct in orthotics and prosthetics 
programs. 
(C) Training faculty in orthotics and pros-
thetics education or related fields for the pur-
pose of instruction in orthotics and prosthetics 
programs. 
(D) Salary supplementation for faculty in 
orthotics and prosthetics education. 
(E) Financial aid that allows eligible insti-
tutions to admit additional students to study 
orthotics and prosthetics, with a priority given 
to covered veterans. 
(F) Funding faculty research projects or 
faculty time to undertake research in the areas 
of orthotics and prosthetics for the purpose of 
furthering their teaching abilities. 
(G) Renovation of buildings or minor con-
struction to house orthotics and prosthetics 
education programs. 
(H) Purchasing equipment for orthotics 
and prosthetics education. 
(2) LIMITATION ON CONSTRUCTION.—An eligi-
ble institution awarded a grant under this section 
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may use not more than 50 percent of the grant 
amount to carry out paragraph (1)(G). 
(3) ADMISSIONS PREFERENCE.—An eligible in-
stitution awarded a grant under this section shall 
give preference in admission to the orthotics and 
prosthetics master’s degree programs to veterans, to 
the extent practicable. 
(4) FINANCIAL AID PREFERENCE.—An eligible 
institution awarded a grant under this section shall 
give preference in awarding financial aid to students 
in the orthotics and prosthetics master’s degree pro-
grams to covered veterans. 
(5) PERIOD OF USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible in-
stitution awarded a grant under this section may use 
the grant amount for a period of three years after 
the award of the grant. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘eligible institution’’ means an 
educational institution that offers an orthotics and 
prosthetics education program that— 
(A) is accredited by the Commission on 
Accreditation of Allied Health Education Pro-
grams in cooperation with the National Com-
mission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education; 
or 
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(B) demonstrates an ability to meet the ac-
creditation requirements for orthotic and pros-
thetic education from the Commission on Ac-
creditation of Allied Health Education Pro-
grams in cooperation with the National Com-
mission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education if 
the institution receives a grant under this sec-
tion. 
(2) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 101 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
(3) The term ‘‘covered veteran’’ means a vet-
eran with lived experience with limb loss or mobility 
impairment. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2025 for the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, $15,000,000 to carry out 
this section. The amount so authorized to be appro-
priated shall remain available for obligation until 
September 30, 2027. 
(2) UNOBLIGATED AMOUNTS TO BE RETURNED 
TO THE TREASURY.—Any amounts authorized to be 
appropriated by paragraph (1) that are not obligated 
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by the Secretary as of September 30, 2027, shall be 
returned to the Treasury of the United States. 
SEC. 3. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN ORTHOTIC AND PROS-
THETIC EDUCATION. 
(a) GRANT FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall award a grant to an eligible institution 
to enable the eligible institution— 
(A) to establish the Center of Excellence in 
Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘‘Center’’); and 
(B) to enable the eligible institution to im-
prove orthotic and prosthetic outcomes for vet-
erans, members of the Armed Forces, and civil-
ians by conducting evidence-based research 
on— 
(i) the knowledge, skills, and training 
most needed by clinical professionals in the 
field of orthotics and prosthetics; and 
(ii) how to most effectively prepare 
clinical professionals to provide effective, 
high-quality orthotic and prosthetic care. 
(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give pri-
ority in the award of a grant under this section to 
an eligible institution that has in force, or dem-
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