[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 72 (Thursday, May 2, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2618-S2619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Murphy):
  S. 1316. A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to award grants 
to fund research on orthotics and prosthetics, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1316

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Wounded Warrior Research 
     Enhancement Act''.

     SEC. 2. ORTHOTIC AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH.

       (a) Purpose.--The purpose of the grants described in this 
     section is to advance orthotic and prosthetic clinical care 
     for members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and civilians who 
     have undergone amputation, traumatic brain injury, and other 
     serious

[[Page S2619]]

     physical injury as a result of combat or military experience.
       (b) Grants for Research on Patient Outcomes.--The Secretary 
     of Defense shall award grants to persons to carry out 
     research on the following:
       (1) The actions that can be taken to prevent amputation of 
     limbs.
       (2) The point in the course of patient treatment during 
     which orthotic and prosthetic intervention is most effective.
       (3) The orthotic interventions that are most effective in 
     treating the physical effects of traumatic brain injury.
       (4) The patients that benefit most from particular orthotic 
     and prosthetic technologies.
       (5) The orthotic and prosthetic services that best 
     facilitate the return to active duty of members of the Armed 
     Forces.
       (6) The effect of the aging process on the use of 
     prosthetics, including--
       (A) increased skin breakdown;
       (B) loss of balance;
       (C) falls; and
       (D) other issues that arise during the aging process.
       (c) Grants on Materials Research.--The Secretary shall 
     award grants to persons to carry out research on the 
     following:
       (1) The improvement of existing materials used in orthotics 
     and prosthetics for the purpose of improving quality of life 
     and health outcomes for individuals with limb loss.
       (2) The development of new materials used in orthotics and 
     prosthetics for the purpose of improving quality of life and 
     health outcomes for individuals with limb loss.
       (d) Grants on Technology Research.--The Secretary shall 
     award grants to persons to carry out research on the 
     following:
       (1) The improvement of existing orthotic and prosthetic 
     technology and devices for the purpose of improving quality 
     of life and health outcomes for individuals with limb loss.
       (2) The development of new orthotic and prosthetic 
     technology and devices for the purpose of improving quality 
     of life and health outcomes for individuals with limb loss.
       (e) Request for Proposals.--A person seeking the award of a 
     grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
     application therefor in the form and accompanied by such 
     information as the Secretary shall require.
       (f) Award Requirements.--
       (1) Peer-reviewed proposals.--Grants under this section may 
     be awarded only for research that is peer-reviewed.
       (2) Competitive procedures.--Grants under this section 
     shall be awarded through competitive procedures.
       (g) Grant Use.--A person awarded a grant under subsection 
     (b), (c), or (d) shall use the grant amount to carry out the 
     research described in the applicable subsection.
       (h) Reports.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually 
     thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation 
     with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, veterans, community-
     based clinicians, and expert researchers in the field of 
     orthotics and prosthetics, submit to Congress a report 
     setting forth the following:
       (1) An agenda for orthotic and prosthetic research that 
     identifies and prioritizes the most significant unanswered 
     orthotic and prosthetic research questions pertinent to the 
     provision of evidence-based clinical care to members of the 
     Armed Forces, veterans, and civilians.
       (2) For each report after the initial report under this 
     subsection--
       (A) a summary of how the grants awarded under subsection 
     (b) are addressing the most significant orthotic and 
     prosthetic needs; and
       (B) the progress made towards resolving orthotic and 
     prosthetic challenges facing members of the Armed Forces and 
     veterans.
       (i) Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``veteran'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, 
     United States Code.
       (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated for fiscal year 2020 for the Department of 
     Defense for the Defense Health Program, $30,000,000 to carry 
     out this section.
                                 ______