Union Calendar No. 264
119th CONGRESS 1st Session |
[Report No. 119–310]
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist such organizations in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, and for other purposes.
April 2, 2025
Mr. Luttrell (for himself, Mr. McGarvey, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Buchanan, Ms. Norton, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Crow, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr. Rutherford, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Mace, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Rulli, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Goldman of Texas, Mr. Pfluger, Ms. King-Hinds, and Mr. LaLota) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
September 26, 2025
Additional sponsors: Mr. Vindman, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Conaway, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Ms. Bynum, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Yakym, Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Morrison, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Casten, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mr. Wied, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Mannion, Mr. Neguse, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Crane, Mr. Haridopolos, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Gray, Mr. Reschenthaler, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Crenshaw, Mrs. Bice, Mr. Bell, Ms. Escobar, Mr. McGuire, Mr. Moran, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Mr. Strong, Mr. Kelly of Mississippi, Mr. Gooden, Mr. Womack, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Zinke, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Ezell, Mr. Babin, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Collins, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Fallon, and Mr. Nunn of Iowa
September 26, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 2, 2025]
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist such organizations in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act” or the “SAVES Act”.
SEC. 2. Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program to award grants for the provision of service dogs to veterans.
(a) In general.—Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a pilot program under which the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to nonprofit entities to provide service dogs to eligible veterans.
(b) Applications.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a nonprofit entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such commitments and information as the Secretary may require.
(2) ELEMENTS.—An application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) A proposal for the provision of service dogs to eligible veterans, including how the nonprofit entity will communicate with the Secretary to ensure that the use of the grant funds results in an increased number of eligible veterans who are provided with service dogs.
(B) A description of the following services or commitments to be provided by the nonprofit entity:
(i) The training that will be provided to eligible veterans who receive service dogs under the pilot program.
(ii) The training of dogs that will serve as service dogs provided to eligible veterans under the program.
(iii) Any support or services other than training under clauses (i) and (ii) that will be provided for such dogs and eligible veterans.
(C) Documentation that demonstrates that the nonprofit entity has experience in training dogs as service dogs.
(D) The demonstrated experience of the nonprofit entity in training service dogs in compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
(c) Agreement required.—If the Secretary approves an application submitted by a nonprofit entity under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall require the entity, as a condition of the receipt of a grant under the pilot program to enter into an agreement under which the entity agrees to—
(1) notify each veteran who receives a service dog provided using grant funds that the service dog is being paid for, in whole or in part, by the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(d) Amount of grants.—The Secretary shall make a grant in an amount that does not exceed $2,000,000 to each entity that enters into an agreement with the Secretary under subsection (c). The Secretary shall establish intervals of payment for the administration of each such grant.
(e) Use of funds.—
(f) Veterinary insurance.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary may provide to each veteran who receives a service dog through a grant under this section a commercially available veterinary insurance policy for the service dog.
(g) Training and technical assistance.—The Secretary may provide training and technical assistance related to grant application and administration to applicants for and recipients of grants under this section.
(h) Oversight and monitoring.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary—
(2) REPORTS AND ANSWERS.—The Secretary may require each recipient of a grant under this section to provide, in such form as may be prescribed by the Secretary, such reports or answers in writing to specific questions, surveys, or questionnaires as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the pilot program.
(i) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) The term “eligible veteran” means a veteran who—
(2) The term “covered condition” means any of the following disabilities, conditions, or diagnoses for which the Secretary determines, based upon medical judgment, that it is optimal for the veteran to manage the disability, condition, or diagnosis and live independently through the assistance of a trained service dog:
SEC. 3. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “November 30, 2031” and inserting “February 28, 2033”.
Union Calendar No. 264 | |||||
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[Report No. 119–310] | |||||
A BILL | |||||
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist such organizations in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, and for other purposes. | |||||
September 26, 2025 | |||||
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed |