Text of Senate Amendment 5874

On 2026-06-18, Senator David McCormick (R-PA) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 5874" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 5874

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 103 (Thursday, June 18, 2026) [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. ______