S.Amdt. 2425

SA 2425. Mr. NELSON (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Jones, Mr.
Blumenthal, Mr. Murphy, and Ms. Duckworth) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2019 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. 729. GRANTS TO PROMOTE MILITARY READINESS IN THE
PROVISION OF PROSTHETIC AND ORTHOTIC CARE.

(a) Grants Required.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall award
grants to institutions determined by the Secretary to be
eligible for the award of such grants in order to enable such
institutions to establish or expand an 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 sector or private
sector orthotics or prosthetics practice that offers students
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 such
orthotics and prosthetics practice.
(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 maintain an accredited
orthotics and prosthetics education 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 conduct training and retain faculty in orthotics and
prosthetics education, or related fields, for the purpose of
instruction in orthotics and prosthetics programs.
(3) To fund faculty research projects or faculty time to
undertake research in orthotics and prosthetics for the
purpose of furthering their teaching abilities.
(4) To conduct minor construction to house orthotics and
prosthetics education programs.
(5) To acquire equipment for orthotics and prosthetics
education.
(d) Limitation on Grant Amount.--The amount of any grant
awarded an institution under this section may not exceed
$1,500,000.
(e) 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.

[[Page S3329]]

(f) Funding.--
(1) In general.--Of the amount authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal year 2019 for the Department of
Defense for the Defense Health Program by section 1405,
$15,000,000 may be available to carry out this section.
(2) Availability.--The amount available under paragraph (1)
shall remain available for obligation until September 30,
2021.
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