I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3696 
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 
SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 
Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. NORTON, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 
POCAN, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. RUSH, Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. SEAN PATRICK 
MALONEY of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
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.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:46 Sep 12, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3696.IH
H3696
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(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 a partner-
ship with a medical center or clinic administered by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs or a facility ad-
ministered by the Department of Defense, including 
by providing clinical rotations at such medical cen-
ter, 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 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:46 Sep 12, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3696.IH
H3696
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
frequently than annually thereafter for two years, 
the Secretary shall issue a request for proposals 
from eligible institutions for grants under this sec-
tion. 
(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 a partnership 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. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:46 Sep 12, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3696.IH
H3696
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(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. 
(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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:46 Sep 12, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3696.IH
H3696
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
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) 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 National Commis-
sion on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education in 
cooperation with the Commission on Accredita-
tion of Allied Health Education Programs; or 
(B) demonstrates an ability to meet the ac-
creditation requirements for orthotic and pros-
thetic education from the National Commission 
on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education in co-
operation with the Commission on Accreditation 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:46 Sep 12, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3696.IH
H3696
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS