113 S522 IS: Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act
U.S. Senate
2013-03-11
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as
the Wounded Warrior Workforce
Enhancement Act
.
2.Orthotics and
Prosthetics Education Improvement
(a)
(1)The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall award grants to
eligible institutions to enable the eligible institutions—
(A)to establish a
master's degree or doctoral 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)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)Grants awarded under this section shall be in amounts of
not less than $1,000,000 and not more than $1,500,000.
(b)
(1)Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act and annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary shall issue a
request for proposals from eligible institutions for grants under this
section.
(2)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)
(1)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 or doctoral
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.
(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
constructionAn 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)An eligible institution awarded a grant under this
section shall give preference in admission to the orthotics and prosthetics
master’s or doctoral programs to veterans, to the extent practicable.
(4)An eligible institution awarded a grant under this
section may use the grant funds for a period of three years after the award of
the grant.
(d)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
(referred to in this section as the National Commission);
or
(B)demonstrates an
ability to meet the accreditation requirements for orthotic and prosthetic
education from the National Commission 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.
(e)Authorization
of appropriations
(1)There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year
2014 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, 2016.
(2)Unobligated
amounts to be returned to the treasuryAny amounts authorized to
be appropriated by paragraph (1) that are not obligated by the Secretary as of
September 30, 2016, shall be returned to the Treasury of the United
States.
3.Center of
Excellence in Orthotic and Prosthetic Education
(a)Grant for
establishment of center
(1)The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall award a grant to
an eligible institution to enable the eligible institution to—
(A)establish the
Center of Excellence in Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (hereafter in this
section referred to as the Center); and
(B)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)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, Department of Defense, or other appropriate Government
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)To assist the
Center in research and the dissemination of the results of such
research.
(3)The grant awarded under this section shall be in the
amount of $5,000,000.
(b)
(1)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 a grant under this section.
(2)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)
(1)The eligible institution awarded the grant under this
section shall use the grant amount for purposes 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)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)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 appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated for
fiscal year 2014 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, $5,000,000 to carry
out this section.