S.Amdt. 2497

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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