[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 103 (Thursday, June 18, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2964-S2965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 5874. Mr. McCORMICK (for himself and Ms. Rosen) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 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 appropriate place in title X, insert the following:
SEC. 10__. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GRANT PROGRAM FOR
SUPPLEMENTAL NEUROREHABILITATION APPROACHES TO
CHRONIC MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY TREATMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (in this
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a
grant program (to be known as the ``TBI Innovation Grant
Program'') to award grants to eligible entities for the
development, implementation, and evaluation of approaches and
methodologies for prospective randomized control trials for
neurorehabilitation treatments for chronic mild traumatic
brain injury (in this section referred to as ``mTBI'') in
veterans.
(b) Duration.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out
the grant program under this section shall terminate at the
end of the three-year period beginning on the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity in receipt of a grant
under this section shall use amounts awarded under such grant
to support activities that include--
(1) designing and testing novel or integrative treatments
for mTBI that prioritize patient-centered care, including
non-pharmacological therapies;
(2) conducting clinical studies and assessments to measure
the effectiveness of approaches--
(A) to improve mental health outcomes among veterans;
(B) to reduce suicidality and common risk factors for
completing suicide among veterans, including depression and
substance use disorders; and
(C) to mitigate long-term effects of mTBI;
(3) providing training for clinicians and outreach to
veterans and their families to improve awareness and
accessibility of innovative mTBI treatments; and
(4) establishing partnerships with community organizations,
academic institutions, and health care facilities of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (in this section referred to
as the ``Department'') to implement and evaluate best
practices.
(d) Limitation on Grant Amount.--The Secretary may not
award an eligible entity a grant under this section in an
amount that exceeds $5,000,000 per fiscal year.
(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that the
Secretary determines have demonstrated experience in
delivering or researching effective treatments for mTBI.
(f) Program Administration.--
(1) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring a grant
under this section shall submit to the Secretary an
application therefor in such form, at such time, and
containing such information and assurances as the Secretary
determines appropriate, including a detailed description of--
(A) proposed activities;
(B) expected outcomes; and
(C) plans for evaluating effectiveness.
(2) Periodic reports.--An eligible entity in receipt of a
grant under this section shall, not less frequently than
annually, submit to the Secretary a report that includes,
with respect to the period covered by the report--
(A) a description of how the eligible entity used amounts
provided under such grant;
(B) a summary of the progress of activities funded with
such amounts; and
(C) measured outcomes relating to such activities.
(3) Oversight; annual evaluations.--The Secretary shall--
(A) ensure rigorous oversight with respect to the grant
program under this section; and
(B) on an annual basis during the period in which the
authority to carry out the grant program is effective,
evaluate the efficacy of activities funded with amounts
provided under a grant awarded under such grant program.
(g) Coordination With Mental Health Services of Department
of Veterans Affairs.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
grant program under this section aligns with the Staff
Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program
of the Department under section 201 of the Commander John
Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of
2019 (Public Law 116-171; 38 U.S.C. 1720F note)--
(1) to provide for cohesive and comprehensive support for
veterans with mTBI and associated mental health conditions;
and
(2) to increase research and development on integrated mTBI
and mental health interventions outside of the scope of
traditional pathways, interventions, programs, procedures,
and pharmaceuticals of the Department.
(h) Annual Review.--Not less frequently than annually
during the duration of the grant program under this section,
the Secretary shall review the effectiveness of such program
to determine the potential of such program for continuation
or expansion.
(i) Reports to Congress.--Not later than two years after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less
frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report that includes--
(1) the findings of the activities reported under
subsection (f)(2); and
(2) the recommendations of the Secretary with respect to
policy and programmatic improvements to services of the
Department to treat traumatic brain injuries among veterans.
(j) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act,
[[Page S2965]]
the Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry out this
section.
(k) Funding.--
(1) Available amounts.--The Secretary may carry out the
grant program under this section using amounts available to
the Secretary for general mental health care programs.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary $30,000,000 for fiscal
years 2027 through 2029 to carry out the grant program under
this section, which shall remain available until expended.
(l) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means
any of the following:
(A) A nonprofit organization.
(B) An academic institution engaged in research with
respect to traumatic brain injury.
(C) A non-Department health care provider with expertise in
neurorehabilitative therapies.
(D) An entity the Secretary determines appropriate for an
award of a grant under this section.
(2) Treatment.--The term ``treatment'', with respect to
traumatic brain injury, means clinical interventions,
therapeutic devices, or rehabilitation care provided directly
to a veteran with traumatic brain injury.
(3) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given
that term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
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