SAVES Act

Bill: 118-hr-9525
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]
Introduced: 2024-09-10
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2024-09-10
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9525 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 10, 2024 Mr. Luttrell (for himself, Mr. McGarvey , Mr. Hunt , Mr. Ciscomani , and Mr. Van Orden ) 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 nonprofit organizations to assist such organizations in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act or the SAVES Act . 2. Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program to award grants for the provision of service dogs to veterans (a) In general (1) Pilot program required Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a pilot program under which the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to nonprofit entities to provide service dogs to eligible veterans. (2) Duration The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the date on which the first grant is awarded under this section. (b) Applications (1) In general To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a nonprofit entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such commitments and information as the Secretary may require. (2) Elements An application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) A proposal for the provision of service dogs to eligible veterans, including how the nonprofit entity will communicate with the Secretary to ensure an increasing number of service dogs are provided to veterans. (B) A description of the following: (i) The training that will be provided by the nonprofit entity to eligible veterans. (ii) The training of dogs that will serve as service dogs. (iii) Any additional support or services the nonprofit entity will provide for such dogs and eligible veterans. (iv) The plan for publicizing the availability of such dogs through a marketing campaign that targets eligible veterans. (v) The commitment of the nonprofit entity to have humane standards for animals. (C) Documentation certifying that the nonprofit entity is accredited by Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation. (c) Award of grants (1) In general The Secretary shall award a grant to each nonprofit entity for which the Secretary has approved an application submitted under subsection (b)(1). (2) Agreement required Before the provision of any grant amounts to a nonprofit entity selected to receive a grant under this section, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement, containing such terms, conditions, and limitations as the Secretary determines appropriate, with such entity. (3) Grant amounts and intervals of payment The Secretary— (A) may establish a maximum amount to be awarded to each nonprofit entity each fiscal year under this section; and (B) shall establish intervals of payment for the administration of each grant awarded under this section. (d) Use of funds (1) In general A recipient of a grant under this section shall use the grant amounts to plan, develop, implement, or manage (or any combination thereof) one or more programs that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. (2) Administrative expenses The Secretary may establish a maximum amount for each grant awarded under this section that may be used by the recipient of the grant to cover administrative expenses. (3) Other conditions and limitations The Secretary may establish other conditions or limitations on the use of grant amounts under this section. (e) Requirements for grant recipients (1) Notifications and information A recipient of a grant under this section shall— (A) notify each veteran who receives a service dog through such grant that the service dog is being paid for, in whole or in part, by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and (B) inform each such veteran of the benefits and services available from the Secretary for the veteran and the service dog. (2) Prohibition on certain fees A recipient of a grant under this section may not charge a fee to a veteran receiving a service dog through such grant. (f) Process for veterans with mental health conditions (1) In general A veteran with a mental health condition seeking a service dog from a recipient of a grant under this section shall meet with a mental health provider of the Department. (2) Evaluation and determination; request The mental health provider and the care team of a veteran described in paragraph (1) shall— (A) evaluate the veteran and determine— (i) whether the veteran has substantial mobility limitations; (ii) whether the mental health condition of the veteran is the primary cause of such limitations; and (iii) whether a service dog would be the optimal intervention or treatment approach for the veteran; and (B) if the mental health provider and the care team determine that a service dog would be the optimal intervention or treatment approach for the veteran, request a service dog from a recipient of a grant under this section on behalf of the veteran through coordination with the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service of the medical center of the Department local to the veteran. (g) Veterinary insurance (1) In general The Secretary shall provide to each veteran who receives a service dog through a grant under this section a commercially available veterinary insurance policy for the service dog. (2) Continuation If the Secretary provides a veterinary insurance policy to a veteran under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall continue to provide the policy to the veteran without regard to the continuation or termination of the pilot program. (h) Training and technical assistance The Secretary may provide training and technical assistance to recipients of grants under this section. (i) Oversight and monitoring (1) In general The Secretary— (A) shall establish such oversight and monitoring requirements as the Secretary determines appropriate to ensure that grant amounts awarded under this section are used appropriately; and (B) may take such actions as the Secretary determines necessary to address any issues identified through the enforcement of such requirements. (2) Reports and answers The Secretary may require each recipient of a grant under this section to provide, in such form as may be prescribed by the Secretary, such reports or answers in writing to specific questions, surveys, or questionnaires as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the pilot program. (j) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible veteran (A) In general The term eligible veteran means a veteran who— (i) is enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department established and operated under subsection (a) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, or is otherwise entitled to hospital care and medical services under subsection (c)(2) of such section; and (ii) has one or more disabilities, conditions, or diagnoses described in subparagraph (B). (B) Disability, condition, diagnosis described A disability, condition, or diagnosis described in this subparagraph is any of the following: (i) Blindness or visual impairment. (ii) Loss of use of a limb, paralysis, or other significant mobility issue, including mental health mobility. (iii) Loss of hearing. (iv) Post-traumatic stress disorder. (v) Traumatic brain injury. (vi) Any other disability, condition, or diagnosis for which the Secretary determines, based on medical judgment, that it is optimal for the veteran to manage the disability, condition, or diagnosis and live independently through the assistance of a service dog. (2) Pilot program The term pilot program means the pilot program required by subsection (a)(1). (3) Service dog The term service dog means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks that are— (A) for the benefit of a veteran with a disability, condition, or diagnosis described in paragraph (1)(B); and (B) directly related to the disability, condition, or diagnosis of the veteran. (k) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of the five consecutive fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the pilot program is established under subsection (a).