Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act
Bill: H.R.8687 | Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright, Matt (D-PA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to award grants to eligible institutions to (1) establish a master's degree program in orthotics and prosthetics, or (2) expand upon an existing master's degree program in such area. The VA shall give grant priority to institutions that have entered into a partnership with a medical center administered by the VA or a facility administered by the Department of Defense. An eligible institution is an educational institution that is either accredited by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education or that demonstrates an ability to meet such accreditation requirements if it receives a grant.
The bill also requires the VA to award a grant to an institution with orthotic and prosthetic research and education experience to (1) establish the Center of Excellence in Orthotic and Prosthetic Education; and (2) improve orthotic and prosthetic outcomes for veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and civilians by conducting orthotic and prosthetic research.

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 Representatives 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 IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) Grants Required.--
            (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, including by 
                admitting more students, further training faculty, 
                expanding facilities, or increasing cooperation with 
                the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department 
                of Defense.
            (2) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority in the 
        award of grants under this section to eligible institutions 
        that have entered into a partnership with a medical center or 
        clinic administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or a 
        facility administered by the Department of Defense, 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 less frequently than 
        annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary shall issue a 
        request for proposals 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, 
        including--
                    (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 programs.
                    (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 prosthetics 
                education or related fields for the purpose of 
                instruction in orthotics and prosthetics programs.
                    (D) Salary supplementation for faculty in orthotics 
                and prosthetics education.
                    (E) Financial aid that allows eligible institutions 
                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 construction 
                to house orthotics and prosthetics education programs.
                    (H) Purchasing equipment for orthotics and 
                prosthetics education.
            (2) Limitation on construction.--An eligible institution 
        awarded a grant under this section may use not more than 50 
        percent of the grant amount to carry out paragraph (1)(G).
            (3) Admissions preference.--An eligible institution 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 awarded to students in the orthotics and 
        prosthetics master's degree programs to covered veterans.
            (5) Period of use of funds.--An eligible institution 
        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 Commission on 
                Orthotic and Prosthetic Education in cooperation with 
                the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health 
                Education Programs; or
                    (B) demonstrates an ability to meet the 
                accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic 
                education from the National Commission on Orthotic and 
                Prosthetic Education in cooperation with the Commission 
                on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs if 
                the institution receives a grant under this section.
            (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 veteran 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 2023 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
        $15,000,000 to carry out this section. The amount so authorized 
        to be appropriated shall remain available for obligation until 
        September 30, 2025.
            (2) Unobligated amounts to be returned to the treasury.--
        Any amounts authorized to be appropriated by paragraph (1) that 
        are not obligated by the Secretary as of September 30, 2025, 
        shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.

SEC. 3. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN ORTHOTIC AND PROSTHETIC 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 section 
                referred to as the ``Center''); and
                    (B) to enable the eligible institution to improve 
                orthotic and prosthetic outcomes for veterans, members 
                of the Armed Forces, and civilians 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 priority in the 
        award of a grant under this section to an eligible institution 
        that has in force, or demonstrates the willingness and ability 
        to enter into, a memoranda of understanding with the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or other 
        appropriate Federal agency, or a cooperative agreement with an 
        appropriate private sector entity, which memorandum of 
        understanding or cooperative agreement provides for either, or 
        both, of the following:
                    (A) The provision of resources, whether in cash or 
                in-kind, to the Center.
                    (B) Assistance to the Center in conducting research 
                and disseminating the results of such research.
            (3) Grant amount.--The grant awarded under this section 
        shall be in the amount of $5,000,000.
    (b) Requests for Proposals.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a request 
        for proposals from eligible institutions for the grant under 
        this section.
            (2) Proposals.--An eligible institution that seeks the 
        award of the 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.
    (c) Grant Uses.--
            (1) In general.--The eligible institution awarded the grant 
        under this section shall use the grant amount as follows:
                    (A) To develop an agenda for orthotics and 
                prosthetics education research.
                    (B) To fund research in the area of orthotics and 
                prosthetics education.
                    (C) To publish or otherwise disseminate research 
                findings relating to orthotics and prosthetics 
                education.
            (2) Period of use of funds.--The eligible institution 
        awarded the grant under this section may use the grant amount 
        for a period of five years after the award of the grant.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``eligible institution'' means an educational 
        institution that--
                    (A) has a robust research program;
                    (B) offers an orthotics and prosthetics education 
                program that is accredited by the National Commission 
                on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education in cooperation 
                with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health 
                Education Programs;
                    (C) is well recognized in the field of orthotics 
                and prosthetics education; and
                    (D) has an established association with--
                            (i) a medical center or clinic of the 
                        Department of Veterans Affairs; and
                            (ii) a local rehabilitation hospital.
            (2) The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that term in 
        section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2023 for the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, $5,000,000 to carry out this section.
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