Support Our Military Working Dogs Act
Bill: S.3083 | Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha (R-TN)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Support Our Military Working Dogs Act
This bill addresses provisions regarding the care and study of military working dogs.
First, the bill authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to accept donations for the purpose of providing long-term care for retired military working dogs that have been adopted.
The bill authorizes DOD to enter into a multi-year agreement with a veterans service organization or nonprofit entity to solicit, accept, and transfer funds to provide long-term care for adopted military working dogs.
The bill prohibits charging a fee for the adoption of a military animal.
The bill updates the duties of the Joint Trauma Education and Training Directorate. Specifically, the bill requires the directorate to develop a comprehensive trauma care registry with respect to military working dogs. Additionally, the directorate must inform and advise the conduct of research on the leading causes of morbidity and mortality of military working dogs in combat.
Finally, DOD must establish a personnel management plan for veterinary care.

To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve veterinary care for 
         retired military working dogs, 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 ``Support Our Military Working Dogs 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROVISION OF VETERINARY CARE FOR RETIRED 
              MILITARY WORKING DOGS.

    (a) In General.--Section 994 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``establish and maintain a system 
                to'';
                    (B) by striking ``for the veterinary care of'' and 
                inserting ``veterinary care for''; and
                    (C) by striking the second sentence;
            (2) in subsection (b), by inserting ``that the Secretary of 
        the military department concerned determines is suitable for 
        adoption or is'' before ``adopted''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``the system authorized 
        by''.
    (b) Multi-Year Agreements With Other Entities.--Such section is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Acceptance and Use of Donated Funds.--(1) The Secretary of 
Defense may accept donations of funds, gifts, and in-kind contributions 
for the purpose of providing long-term care for any military working 
dog adopted under section 2583 of this title. Any amount so accepted 
shall be available without further appropriation and without fiscal 
year limitation.
    ``(2) The Secretary of Defense may enter into a multi-year 
agreement with a veterans service organization or appropriate nonprofit 
entity under which--
            ``(A) the organization or entity may solicit and accept 
        donations of funds on behalf of the Department of Defense 
        pursuant to paragraph (1); and
            ``(B) the organization or entity agrees to transfer any 
        funds accepted pursuant to such an agreement to the Department 
        of Defense.
    ``(3) In this subsection, the term `veterans service organization' 
means an organization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38.''.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON CHARGE FOR ADOPTION OF MILITARY ANIMALS.

    Section 2583(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''.

SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF RESEARCH UNDER JOINT TRAUMA EDUCATION AND 
              TRAINING DIRECTORATE AND INCLUSION OF MILITARY WORKING 
              DOGS AND VETERINARY CARE.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (b) of section 708 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (7), by striking ``of members of the Armed 
        Forces'' and inserting ``with respect to members of the Armed 
        Forces and military working dogs''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (9) and inserting the following 
        new paragraph:
            ``(9) To inform and advise the conduct of research on the 
        leading causes of morbidity and mortality of members of the 
        Armed Forces and military working dogs in combat.''.
    (b) Veterinarians in Personnel Management Plan.--Subsection (d)(1) 
of such section is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (G); 
        and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(F) Veterinary care.''.
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