[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2605 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 264
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2605
[Report No. 119-310]
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 2025
Mr. Luttrell (for himself, Mr. McGarvey, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Buchanan,
Ms. Norton, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms.
Tenney, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Crow, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr.
Rutherford, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Mace, Mrs.
Miller-Meeks, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Rulli, Mr. Stauber, Mr.
Goldman of Texas, Mr. Pfluger, Ms. King-Hinds, and Mr. LaLota)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
September 26, 2025
Additional sponsors: Mr. Vindman, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Conaway, Ms.
Malliotakis, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Ms. Bynum, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Yakym,
Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Morrison, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Casten, Mr.
Kennedy of New York, Mr. Wied, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Lee of
Nevada, Mr. Mannion, Mr. Neguse, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Crane, Mr.
Haridopolos, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Thompson of
California, Mr. Gray, Mr. Reschenthaler, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Crenshaw,
Mrs. Bice, Mr. Bell, Ms. Escobar, Mr. McGuire, Mr. Moran, Mr. Weber of
Texas, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Mr. Strong, Mr. Kelly
of Mississippi, Mr. Gooden, Mr. Womack, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Zinke, Mr.
McCaul, Mr. Ezell, Mr. Babin, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Collins, Mr. Williams of
Texas, Mr. Fallon, and Mr. Nunn of Iowa
September 26, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April
2, 2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
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 ``Service Dogs Assisting Veterans
Act'' or the ``SAVES Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM TO AWARD GRANTS
FOR THE PROVISION OF SERVICE DOGS TO VETERANS.
(a) In General.--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.
(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 that the
use of the grant funds results in an increased number
of eligible veterans who are provided with service
dogs.
(B) A description of the following services or
commitments to be provided by the nonprofit entity:
(i) The training that will be provided to
eligible veterans who receive service dogs
under the pilot program.
(ii) The training of dogs that will serve
as service dogs provided to eligible veterans
under the program.
(iii) Any support or services other than
training under clauses (i) and (ii) that will
be provided for such dogs and eligible
veterans.
(iv) The plan for publicizing the
availability of such service dogs through a
marketing campaign that targets eligible
veterans.
(v) The commitment to humane treatment
standards for service dogs.
(C) Documentation that demonstrates that the
nonprofit entity has experience in training dogs as
service dogs.
(D) The demonstrated experience of the nonprofit
entity in training service dogs in compliance with the
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
(c) Agreement Required.--If the Secretary approves an application
submitted by a nonprofit entity under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary
shall require the entity, as a condition of the receipt of a grant
under the pilot program to enter into an agreement under which the
entity agrees to--
(1) notify each veteran who receives a service dog provided
using grant funds that the service dog is being paid for, in
whole or in part, by the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(2) inform each such veteran of the benefits and services
available from the Secretary for the veteran and the service
dog;
(3) not charge a fee to a veteran receiving a service dog
provided using grant funds; and
(4) adhere to such other terms, conditions, and limitations
as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(d) Amount of Grants.--The Secretary shall make a grant in an
amount that does not exceed $2,000,000 to each entity that enters into
an agreement with the Secretary under subsection (c). The Secretary
shall establish intervals of payment for the administration of each
such grant.
(e) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--A recipient of a grant under this section
shall use the grant to plan, develop, implement, and manage one
or more programs that provide service dogs to eligible
veterans.
(2) Limitations.--The Secretary may establish--
(A) a maximum amount that can be used by a grant
recipient to cover administrative expenses for each
grant awarded under this section; and
(B) other conditions or limitations on the use of
grant amounts under this section.
(f) Veterinary Insurance.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), the
Secretary may 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, except as provided in paragraph (3).
(3) Discontinuation.--The Secretary shall discontinue the
provision of a veterinary insurance policy under paragraph (1)
if the Secretary determines doing so would be in the best
interest of the veteran, the service dog, or the Federal
Government.
(g) Training and Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide
training and technical assistance related to grant application and
administration to applicants for and recipients of grants under this
section.
(h) 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.
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who--
(A) is enrolled in the system of annual patient
enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs
established and operated under section 1705(a) of title
38, United States Code, or is otherwise entitled to
receive such care and services under subsection (c)(2)
of such section;
(B) has been prescribed a service dog by the
Secretary; and
(C) has one or more covered conditions.
(2) The term ``covered condition'' means any of the
following disabilities, conditions, or diagnoses for which the
Secretary determines, based upon medical judgment, that it is
optimal for the veteran to manage the disability, condition, or
diagnosis and live independently through the assistance of a
trained service dog:
(A) Blindness or visual impairment.
(B) Loss of use of a limb, paralysis, or other
significant mobility issue, including mental health
mobility.
(C) Loss of hearing.
(D) Post-traumatic stress disorder.
(E) Traumatic brain injury.
(F) 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.
(3) The term ``service dog'' means a dog that is
individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the
benefit of an individual with a disability, including a
physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental
disability.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2027 through 2031.
(k) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under
this section shall terminate on September 30, 2031.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting ``February 28, 2033''.
Union Calendar No. 264
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2605
[Report No. 119-310]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 26, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed