109 HR 6319 IH: Veterans Amputee and Rehabilitation U.S. House of Representatives 2006-11-13 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.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6319 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 13, 2006 Mr. Lynch introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish centers to provide enhanced services to veterans with amputations and prosthetic devices, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veterans Amputee and Rehabilitation Act of 2006.

2.

Amputation and prosthetic rehabilitation centers in Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish in the Veterans Health Administration not less than five centers to provide enhanced rehabilitation services to veterans who have suffered amputations or who are equipped with prosthetic devices. Each such center shall be established at a health-care facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Each such center shall be known as an Amputation and Prosthetic Rehabilitation Center. (b)

Purposes

The purposes of the centers established pursuant to this section are— (1)to provide regional clinical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs with special expertise in prosthetics, rehabilitation with the use of prosthetics, treatment, and coordination of care for veterans who have suffered an amputation of any functional part of the body due to a service-connected disability; (2)to provide state-of-the art prosthetic limb evaluations and fabrications for such veterans; and (3)to provide information and supportive services to all facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs concerning the care and treatment of such veterans who are equipped with a prosthetic device. (c)

Geographic distribution

In order to establish such centers so as to be accessible to as many veterans as possible in the United States, the Secretary shall establish at least one such center within each of the following geographic services areas of the Veterans Health Administration: Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 (New England), Veterans Integrated Service Network 8 (Florida), Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 (Texas), Veterans Integrated Service Network 22 (Southern California), and Veterans Integrated Service Network 23 (Midwest). (d)

Staff and resources

The Secretary shall ensure that each center established pursuant to this section includes the following: (1)A modern, well-equipped, and appropriately certified laboratory facility capable of providing state-of-the-art and complex prosthetic devices to all veterans with an amputation due to a service-connected disability. (2)Certified and experienced prosthetists, including prosthetists with certifications in new fabrication techniques. (3)An accredited Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation service with staff who are well-trained in current prosthetic services and emerging trends for treatment of amputations. (4)A modern gait laboratory, permanently located within the center. (e)

Availability of Appropriations

Amounts appropriated pursuant to this section shall remain available until expended.