[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3272-S3273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1795. Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Perdue, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Jones, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Casey) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 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. 752. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE MILITARY READINESS IN THE 
                   PROVISION OF PROSTHETIC AND ORTHOTIC CARE.

       (a) Grants Required.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a 
     pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
     awarding grants to institutions determined by the Secretary 
     to be eligible for the award of such grants to enable such 
     institutions to establish or expand an existing 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 or private sector 
     entity, including a facility administered by the Department 
     of Defense, that offers students training or 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 a public or private sector 
     orthotics and prosthetics practice that serves members of the 
     Armed Forces or veterans.
       (3) Future preference.--In fiscal years after fiscal year 
     2021, the Secretary shall give preference in the award of 
     grants under this section to qualified, eligible applicants 
     for such grants that were not awarded a grant in fiscal year 
     2021.
       (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 achieve and maintain an 
     accredited orthotics and prosthetics 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 train doctoral candidates in orthotics and 
     prosthetics, or in fields related

[[Page S3273]]

     to orthotics and prosthetics, to prepare such candidates to 
     instruct in orthotics and prosthetics programs.
       (3) To train and retain faculty in orthotics and 
     prosthetics education, or in fields related to orthotics and 
     prosthetics education, to prepare such faculty to instruct in 
     orthotics and prosthetics programs.
       (4) To fund faculty research projects or faculty time to 
     undertake research in orthotics and prosthetics for the 
     purpose of furthering the teaching abilities of such faculty.
       (5) To acquire equipment for orthotics and prosthetics 
     education.
       (d) Admissions Preference.--To the extent practicable, an 
     institution awarded a grant under this section shall give 
     preference to veterans in admission to the master's degree 
     program in orthotics and prosthetics established or expanded 
     under this section.
       (e) Limitation on Grant Amount.--The amount of any grant 
     awarded to an institution under this section may not exceed 
     $3,000,000.
       (f) 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.
       (g) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives a report on the pilot program conducted under 
     this section.
       (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include a description of the pilot program and other such 
     matters relating to the pilot program as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate.

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