(e) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 
that the Secretary determines have demonstrated experi-
ence in delivering or researching effective treatments for 
mTBI. 
(f) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity desiring 
a grant under this section shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application in such form, at such time, 
and containing such information and assurances as 
the Secretary determines appropriate, including a 
detailed description of— 
(A) proposed activities; 
(B) expected outcomes; and 
(C) plans for evaluating effectiveness. 
(2) PERIODIC REPORTS.—An eligible entity in 
receipt of a grant under this section shall, not less 
frequently than annually, submit to the Secretary a 
report that includes, with respect to the period cov-
ered by the report— 
(A) a description of how the eligible entity 
used such grant; 
(B) a summary of the progress of activities 
funded with amounts from such grant; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(C) measured outcomes relating to such 
activities. 
(3) OVERSIGHT; ANNUAL EVALUATIONS.—The 
Secretary shall— 
(A) ensure rigorous oversight with respect 
to the grant program under this section; and 
(B) on an annual basis during the period 
the authority to carry out the grant program is 
effective, evaluate the efficacy of activities fund-
ed with a grant awarded under such program. 
(g) COORDINATION WITH VA MENTAL HEALTH 
SERVICES.—The Secretary shall ensure that the grant 
program under this section aligns with the Staff Sergeant 
Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department 
to— 
(1) provide for cohesive and comprehensive sup-
port for veterans with mTBI and associated mental 
health conditions; and 
(2) increase research and development on inte-
grated mTBI and mental health interventions out-
side of the scope of traditional Department of Vet-
erans Affairs pathways, interventions, programs, 
procedures, and pharmaceuticals. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(h) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
prescribe regulations to carry out this section. 
(i) AVAILABLE AMOUNTS; AUTHORIZATION OF AP-
PROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) AVAILABLE AMOUNTS.—The Secretary may 
carry out the program under this section using 
amounts available to the Secretary for general men-
tal health care programs. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary $30,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 
2028 to carry out the pilot program under this sec-
tion, which shall remain available until expended. 
(j) DURATION; ANNUAL REVIEW.—The authority of 
the Secretary to carry out the grant program under this 
section shall terminate at the end of the 3-year period be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. During 
such period, the Secretary shall, on an annual basis, re-
view the effectiveness of such grant program to determine 
the potential of such grant program for continuation or 
expansion. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GRANT PRO-
GRAM FOR INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY RE-
SEARCH STUDIES AND TREATMENT WITH RE-
SPECT 
TO 
SUPPLEMENTAL 
NEUROREHABILITATION TREATMENTS FOR 
MTBI. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall establish and carry out a research grant pro-
gram to award grants to eligible entities described in sub-
section (b) for studies and applied programs on ap-
proaches and methodologies for the treatment of TBI in 
veterans. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES DESCRIBED.—An eligible 
entity described in this subsection is any of the following: 
(1) An academic institution that conducts sig-
nificant research on TBI. 
(2) A nonprofit organization with— 
(A) 
expertise 
in 
TBI 
research 
and 
neurorehabilitation; and 
(B) demonstrated capabilities in clinical 
trials and TBI treatment evaluation and patient 
care delivery. 
(3) An entity, or a partnership among entities, 
that the Secretary determines appropriate to receive 
a grant under this section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(c) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity desiring a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
application in such form, at such time, and containing 
such information and assurances as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate, including a summary of— 
(1) proposed research and treatment activities; 
(2) methodology; and 
(3) expected outcomes. 
(d) GRANT CATEGORIES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Pursuant to the research 
grant program under this section, the Secretary 
shall, each fiscal year— 
(A) subject to the requirement under para-
graph (2), award four grants in amounts of not 
more than $625,000 for exploratory or pilot re-
search and treatment projects; and 
(B) award five grants in amounts of not 
more than $1,500,000 for collaborative or mul-
tidisciplinary research and treatment initiatives. 
(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall award not 
fewer than three grants described in paragraph 
(1)(A) to nonprofit organizations. 
(e) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE THIRD-PARTY ORGA-
NIZATION.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter 
into an agreement with an independent third-party 
organization comparable to the National Center for 
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to— 
(A) administer the research grant pro-
gram; and 
(B) carry out studies and implement ef-
forts that include— 
(i) analyzing data from TBI treat-
ment methodologies developed pursuant to 
the research grant program to assess the 
effect, among veterans, of such methodolo-
gies on mental health outcomes and long- 
term recovery; 
(ii) identifying evidence-based best 
practices and providing recommendations 
for further research or clinical application; 
and 
(iii) randomized, controlled clinical 
trials to— 
(I) validate and deliver treat-
ments; 
(II) establish a standard of care; 
and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(III) improve access to such 
treatments for veterans. 
(2) REPORT.—The independent third-party or-
ganization with which the Secretary enters into an 
agreement under paragraph (1) shall submit to Con-
gress and the Secretary a comprehensive report that 
includes— 
(A) the findings of the studies required 
under such agreement; and 
(B) recommendations with respect to the 
expansion of successful TBI treatment meth-
odologies and standard of care recommenda-
tions, if any, developed pursuant to the research 
grant program. 
(f) AVAILABLE AMOUNTS; AUTHORIZATION OF AP-
PROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) AVAILABLE AMOUNTS.—The Secretary may 
use amounts available to the Secretary for the oper-
ating 
budget 
of 
the 
National 
Center 
for 
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder to carry out the re-
search grant program under this section. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 
through 2028 to carry out this section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(g) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than two 
years after the date on which the Secretary commences 
the research grant program under this section, and on an 
annual basis thereafter during the period the authority of 
the Secretary to carry out such research grant program 
is effective, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re-
port that includes— 
(1) the findings of the studies under— 
(A) section 2(f)(2); and 
(B) the agreement required by section 
3(e); and 
(2) recommendations of the Secretary with re-
spect to policy and programmatic improvements to 
services of the Department to treat TBI among vet-
erans. 
(h) TERMINATION DATE.—The authority of the Sec-
retary to carry out the research grant program under this 
section shall terminate on the date that is three years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘TBI’’ means traumatic brain in-
jury. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(2) The term ‘‘treatment’’ means clinical inter-
ventions, therapeutic devices, or rehabilitation care 
provided directly to a veteran with TBI. 
(3) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 101 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:56 Jan 21, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6993.IH
H6993
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS