38 U.S.C. § 1714 (VETERANS’ BENEFITS)
§ 1714. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic appliances; guide dogs; service dogs
(a) Any veteran who is entitled to a prosthetic appliance shall be furnished such fitting and training, including institutional training, in the use of such appliance as may be necessary, whether in a Department facility or other training institution, or by outpatient treatment, including such service under contract, and including travel and incidental expenses (under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title) to and from such veteran’s home to such hospital or training institution.
(b) The Secretary may provide guide dogs trained for the aid of the blind to veterans who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title. The Secretary may also provide such veterans with mechanical or electronic equipment for aiding them in overcoming the disability of blindness.
(c) The Secretary may, in accordance with the priority specified in section 1705 of this title, provide—
(1) service dogs trained for the aid of the hearing impaired to veterans who are hearing impaired and are enrolled under section 1705 of this title;
(2) service dogs trained for the aid of persons with spinal cord injury or dysfunction or other chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility to veterans with such injury, dysfunction, or impairment who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title; and
(3) service dogs trained for the aid of persons with mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder, to veterans with such illnesses who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title.
(d) In the case of a veteran provided a dog under subsection (b) or (c), the Secretary may pay travel and incidental expenses for that veteran under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title to and from the veteran’s home for expenses incurred in becoming adjusted to the dog.
(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1143, § 614; Pub. L. 93–82, title I, § 103(b), Aug. 2, 1973, 87 Stat. 181; Pub. L. 94–581, title II, § 210(a)(5), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2862; Pub. L. 96–151, title II, § 201(c), Dec. 20, 1979, 93 Stat. 1093; renumbered § 1714 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§ 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404–406; Pub. L. 107–135, title II, § 201(a), (b)(1), Jan. 23, 2002, 115 Stat. 2456, 2457; Pub. L. 111–117, div. E, title II, § 229, Dec. 16, 2009, 123 Stat. 3307.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Prior Provisions
text: Prior section 1714 was renumbered section 3514 of this title.
Provisions similar to those comprising subsec. (a) of this section were classified to section 613 of this title prior to repeal by section 103(b) of Pub. L. 93–82.
heading: Amendments
text: 2009—Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 111–117 added par. (3).
2002—Pub. L. 107–135, § 201(b)(1), substituted “guide dogs; service dogs” for “seeing-eye dogs” in section catchline.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–135, § 201(a)(1), struck out “seeing-eye or” after “may provide”, substituted “who are enrolled under section 1705 of this title” for “who are entitled to disability compensation, and may pay travel and incidental expenses (under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title) to and from their homes and incurred in becoming adjusted to such seeing-eye or guide dogs”, and substituted “disability” for “handicap”.
Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 107–135, § 201(a)(2), added subsecs. (c) and (d).
1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 614 of this title as this section.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” in two places.
1979—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–151, § 201(c)(1), substituted provisions respecting travel and incidental expenses for provisions respecting necessary travel expenses.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–151, § 201(c)(2), substituted provisions respecting travel and incidental expenses for provisions respecting all necessary travel expenses.
1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–581, § 210(a)(5)(A), substituted “such veteran’s home” for “his home”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–581, § 210(a)(5)(B), substituted “and may pay” for “and he may pay”.
1973—Pub. L. 93–82 designated existing provisions as subsec. (b) and added subsec. (a).
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Effective Date of 1979 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 96–151 effective Jan. 1, 1980, see section 206 of Pub. L. 96–151, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.
heading: Effective Date of 1976 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 94–581 effective Oct. 21, 1976, see section 211 of Pub. L. 94–581, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.
heading: Effective Date
text: Section effective Sept. 1, 1973, see section 501 of Pub. L. 93–82, set out as an Effective Date of 1973 Amendment note under section 1701 of this title.
heading: Provision by Department of Veterans Affairs of Prosthetic Appliances Through Non-Department Providers During Public Health Emergency
text: Pub. L. 116–136, div. B, title X, § 20007, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 587, provided that: “The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, veterans who are receiving or are eligible to receive a prosthetic appliance under section 1714 or 1719 of title 38, United States Code, are able to receive such an appliance that the Secretary determines is needed from a non-Department of Veterans Affairs provider under a contract with the Department during a public health emergency.”
[For definition of “public health emergency” as used in section 20007 of Pub. L. 116–136, set out above, see section 20003 of Pub. L. 116–136, set out as a note under section 303 of this title.]