II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 769 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 8, 2011 Mr. Harkin (for himself and Mr. Isakson) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to prevent the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from prohibiting the use of service dogs on Department of Veterans Affairs property.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veterans Equal Treatment for Service Dogs Act of 2011 or the VETS Dogs Act of 2011.

2.

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)The usage of medical service dogs among veterans is increasing. (2)The Department of Veterans Affairs currently allows seeing-eye dogs in Department facilities. (3)The Department does not place any limitations on the access of seeing-eye dogs to Department facilities. (4)Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq. and 12181 et seq.) require that a public entity or place of public accommodation modify its policies, practices, and procedures to allow an individual with a disability to use a service animal.

3.

Use of service dogs on property of the Department of Veterans Affairs

Section 1714 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (e)The Secretary may not prohibit the use of service dogs provided under subsection (c) in any facility or on any property of the Department or in any facility or on any property that receives funding from the Secretary. .