[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 95 (Tuesday, July 10, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7429-S7430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROCKEFELLER:
  S. 1160. A bill to amend section 1714 of title 38, United States 
Code, to modify the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
provide dog-guides to blind veterans and authorize the provision of 
service dogs to hearing-impaired veterans and veterans with spinal cord 
injuries, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce legislation 
today that would make guide dogs more available to veterans in need.
  Service dogs, or ``guide dogs'', have traditionally been viewed as 
being helpful only to those who are visually impaired. However, in 
recent years, primarily as a result of the Americans With Disabilities 
Act, there has been a push to find alternative methods of providing 
assistance to people with various kinds of disabilities. While there 
have been many technological developments in this field, there still 
remains a need for long-term assistance that allows for the most 
possible independence on the part of the disabled individual.

[[Page S7430]]

  Specifically, my legislation would enable the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to provide hearing-impaired veterans and veterans with spinal 
cord injury or dysfunction, in addition to blind veterans, the ability 
to obtain service dogs to assist them with everyday activities.
  There are numerous ways in which service dogs can assist their 
owners. Tasks such as opening and closing doors, turning switches on 
and off, carrying bags, and dragging a person to safety in the case of 
an emergency are just a few of the standard duties for service dogs. 
Their ability to perform these types of duties makes them invaluable to 
those who require day-to-day aid. Having this sort of assistance can 
make a big difference in terms of offering not only physical support, 
but companionship as well.
  Various types of evidence illustrate the value of companion pets, not 
just to the disabled, but to everyone. The Journal of the American 
Medical Association published a trial study a few years ago that 
examined the impact of service dogs on the lives of people with 
disabilities--both in terms of economic and social impacts.
  With regard to social considerations, researchers found that all 
participants had increased levels of self-esteem, independence, and 
community integration. The economic benefit was exemplified through a 
sharp decrease in the number of paid assistance hours. Overall, the 
JAMA study concluded that service dogs can greatly improve the quality 
of life for the disabled.
  In closing, I extend my thanks to the Paralyzed Veterans Association, 
who assisted me invaluably in preparing this legislation. Their hard 
work and dedication to this issue have been a great help, and I am 
proud to have worked with them to develop this bill.
  I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in seeking to provide greater 
accessibility to assistance for disabled veterans. They have sacrificed 
for all of us, and deserve every effort we can make to restore their 
sense of independence.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1160

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION. 1. MODIFICATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF AUTHORITY TO 
                   PROVIDE DOG-GUIDES AND SERVICE DOGS TO VETERANS 
                   WITH DISABILITIES.

       (a) Enhancement of Authority.--Subsection (b) of section 
     1714 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(b)(1) The Secretary may provide any blind veteran who is 
     entitled to disability compensation with--
       ``(A) a dog-guide trained for the aid of the blind; and
       ``(B) mechanical or electronic equipment for aid in 
     overcoming the disability of blindness.
       ``(2) The Secretary may provide a service dog to the 
     following:
       ``(A) Any hearing-impaired veteran who is entitled to 
     disability compensation.
       ``(B) Any veteran with a spinal cord injury or dysfunction 
     who is entitled to disability compensation.
       ``(3) In providing a dog-guide or service dog to a veteran 
     under this subsection, the Secretary may pay travel and 
     incidental expenses (under the terms and conditions set forth 
     in section 111 of this title) of the veteran to and from the 
     veteran's home and incurred in becoming adjusted to the dog-
     guide or service dog, as the case may be.''.
       (b) Conforming and Clerical Amendments.--(1) The section 
     heading of that section is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 1714. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic 
       appliances; dog-guides and service dogs''.

       (2) The table of section at the beginning of chapter 17 of 
     that title is amended by striking the item relating to 
     section 1714 and inserting the following new item:

``1714. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic appliances; dog-
              guides and service dogs.''.
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