[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 130 (Thursday, July 23, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S4488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2497. Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Perdue, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Jones, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Casey, and Ms. Klobuchar) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2301 
proposed by Mr. Inhofe 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 facility or program 
     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, 
     including the following facilities or programs:
       (A) Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
       (B) Brooke Army Medical Center.
       (C) The Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program 
     of the Department of Defense.
       (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 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.
       (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 180 days after awarding the 
     first grant under this section, 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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