[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 94 (Thursday, June 7, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3328-S3329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2425. Mr. NELSON (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Jones, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Murphy, and Ms. Duckworth) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 729. GRANTS TO PROMOTE MILITARY READINESS IN THE 
                   PROVISION OF PROSTHETIC AND ORTHOTIC CARE.

       (a) Grants Required.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall award 
     grants to institutions determined by the Secretary to be 
     eligible for the award of such grants in order to enable such 
     institutions to establish or expand an accredited master's 
     degree program in orthotics and prosthetics.
       (2) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority in the 
     award of grants under this section to institutions that have 
     entered into a partnership with a public sector or private 
     sector orthotics or prosthetics practice that offers students 
     experience in meeting the unique needs of members of the 
     Armed Forces who have experienced limb loss or limb 
     impairment, including by offering clinical rotations at such 
     orthotics and prosthetics practice.
       (b) Applications.--
       (1) Request for proposals.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
     issue a request for proposals from institutions eligible for 
     grants under this section.
       (2) Application.--An institution that seeks the award of a 
     grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
     application therefor 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) demonstration of an ability to maintain an accredited 
     orthotics and prosthetics education program after the end of 
     the grant period.
       (c) Grant Uses.--An institution awarded a grant under this 
     section shall use grant amounts for any purpose as follows:
       (1) To establish or expand an accredited orthotics and 
     prosthetics master's degree program.
       (2) To conduct training and retain faculty in orthotics and 
     prosthetics education, or related fields, for the purpose of 
     instruction in orthotics and prosthetics programs.
       (3) To fund faculty research projects or faculty time to 
     undertake research in orthotics and prosthetics for the 
     purpose of furthering their teaching abilities.
       (4) To conduct minor construction to house orthotics and 
     prosthetics education programs.
       (5) To acquire equipment for orthotics and prosthetics 
     education.
       (d) Limitation on Grant Amount.--The amount of any grant 
     awarded an institution under this section may not exceed 
     $1,500,000.
       (e) Period of Use of Funds.--An institution awarded a grant 
     under this section may use the grant amount for a period of 
     three years after the award of the grant.

[[Page S3329]]

       (f) Funding.--
       (1) In general.--Of the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated for fiscal year 2019 for the Department of 
     Defense for the Defense Health Program by section 1405, 
     $15,000,000 may be available to carry out this section.
       (2) Availability.--The amount available under paragraph (1) 
     shall remain available for obligation until September 30, 
     2021.
                                 ______