HR 2605 · 119th Congress · Armed Forces and National Security

SAVES Act

Introduced April 02, 2025 Latest action September 26, 2025 76 cosponsors

Sponsor

Latest action

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 264.

Action timeline

Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.

Sep 26, 2025

committee Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-310.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Sep 26, 2025

other Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 264.

Jul 23, 2025

committee Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Jul 23, 2025

committee Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Jul 03, 2025

committee Subcommittee on Health Discharged

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Text versions

Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.

Sep 26, 2025 Reported in House

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Apr 02, 2025 Introduced in House

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Changelog

ⓘ

How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.

`ih` / `is` — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.

`rfh` / `rfs` — Referred to a committee for review.

`rh` / `rs` — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).

`pcs` / `pch` — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.

`eh` / `es` — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.

`rdh` / `rds` — Received by the other chamber.

`eah` / `eas` — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.

`ath` / `ats` — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.

`enr` — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.

`pl` — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.

`pp` — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.

Most bills die before `eh`/`es`. Going from `pcs` → `enr` is the full path through both chambers.

Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.

+154 −86 50 unchanged

--- Introduced (House)

+++ Reported (House)

@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@

[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

-[H.R. 2605 Introduced in House (IH)]

+[H.R. 2605 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>

+Union Calendar No. 264

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2605

+[Report No. 119-310]

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to

nonprofit organizations to assist such organizations in carrying out

@@ -27,6 +30,30 @@

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]

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

@@ -47,16 +74,11 @@

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM TO AWARD GRANTS

FOR THE PROVISION OF SERVICE DOGS TO VETERANS.

-(a) In General.--

-(1) Pilot program required.--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.

-(2) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot

-program during the five-year period beginning on the date on

-which the first grant is awarded under this section.

+(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

@@ -66,76 +88,84 @@

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 an

-increasing number of service dogs are provided to

+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.

-(B) A description of the following:

-(i) The training that will be provided by

-the nonprofit entity to eligible veterans.

-(ii) The training of dogs that will serve

-as service dogs.

-(iii) Any additional support or services

-the nonprofit entity will provide for such dogs

-and eligible veterans.

(iv) The plan for publicizing the

-availability of such dogs through a marketing

-campaign that targets eligible veterans.

-(v) The commitment of the nonprofit entity

-to have humane standards for animals.

+availability of such service dogs through a

+marketing campaign that targets eligible

+veterans.

+(v) The commitment to humane treatment

+standards for service dogs.

nonprofit entity has experience in training dogs as

-service animals.

-(c) Award of Grants.--

-(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award a grant to each

-nonprofit entity for which the Secretary has approved an

-application submitted under subsection (b)(1).

-(2) Agreement required.--Before the provision of any grant

-amounts to a nonprofit entity selected to receive a grant under

-this section, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement,

-containing such terms, conditions, and limitations as the

-Secretary determines appropriate, with such entity.

-(3) Maximum grant amount.--A grant under this section may

-not exceed $2,000,000.

-(4) Payments.--The Secretary shall establish intervals of

-payment for the administration of each grant awarded under this

-section.

-(d) Use of Funds.--

+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;

+(2) inform each such veteran of the benefits and services

+available from the Secretary for the veteran and the service

+dog;

+(3) not charge a fee to a veteran receiving a service dog

+provided using grant funds; and

+(4) adhere to such other terms, conditions, and limitations

+as the Secretary determines appropriate.

+(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.--

(1) In general.--A recipient of a grant under this section

-shall use the grant amounts to plan, develop, implement, or

-manage (or any combination thereof) one or more programs that

-provide service dogs to eligible veterans.

-(2) Administrative expenses.--The Secretary may establish a

-maximum amount for each grant awarded under this section that

-may be used by the recipient of the grant to cover

-administrative expenses.

-(3) Other conditions and limitations.--The Secretary may

-establish other conditions or limitations on the use of grant

-amounts under this section.

-(e) Requirements for Grant Recipients.--

-(1) Notifications and information.--A recipient of a grant

-under this section shall--

-(A) notify each veteran who receives a service dog

-through such grant that the service dog is being paid

-for, in whole or in part, by the Department of Veterans

-Affairs; and

-(B) inform each such veteran of the benefits and

-services available from the Secretary for the veteran

-and the service dog.

-(2) Prohibition on certain fees.--A recipient of a grant

-under this section may not charge a fee to a veteran receiving

-a service dog through such grant.

+shall use the grant to plan, develop, implement, and manage one

+or more programs that provide service dogs to eligible

+veterans.

+(2) Limitations.--The Secretary may establish--

+(A) a maximum amount that can be used by a grant

+recipient to cover administrative expenses for each

+grant awarded under this section; and

+(B) other conditions or limitations on the use of

+grant amounts under this section.

(f) Veterinary Insurance.--

-(1) In general.--The Secretary shall 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.

+(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.

(2) Continuation.--If the Secretary provides a veterinary

insurance policy to a veteran under paragraph (1), the

Secretary shall continue to provide the policy to the veteran

without regard to the continuation or termination of the pilot

-program.

+program, except as provided in paragraph (3).

+(3) Discontinuation.--The Secretary shall discontinue the

+provision of a veterinary insurance policy under paragraph (1)

+if the Secretary determines doing so would be in the best

+interest of the veteran, the service dog, or the Federal

+Government.

(g) Training and Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide

-training and technical assistance to recipients of grants under this

+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--

@@ -153,10 +183,22 @@

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 has a

-covered condition=.

+(1) The term ``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who--

+(A) is enrolled in the system of annual patient

+enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs

+established and operated under section 1705(a) of title

+38, United States Code, or is otherwise entitled to

+receive such care and services under subsection (c)(2)

+of such section;

+(B) has been prescribed a service dog by the

+Secretary; and

+(C) has one or more covered conditions.

(2) The term ``covered condition'' means any of the

-following:

+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:

(A) Blindness or visual impairment.

(B) Loss of use of a limb, paralysis, or other

significant mobility issue, including mental health

@@ -169,17 +211,43 @@

judgment, that it is optimal for the veteran to manage

the disability, condition, or diagnosis, and live

independently through the assistance of a service dog.

-(3) The term ``service animal'' has the meaning given such

-term in section 36.104 of title 28, Code of Federal Regulations

-(or successor regulation).

-(4) The term ``service dog'' means any dog that is

-individually trained to do work or perform tasks that are--

-(A) for the benefit of a veteran with a covered

-condition; and

-(B) directly related to the covered condition of

-the veteran.

+(3) The term ``service dog'' means a dog that is

+individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the

+benefit of an individual with a disability, including a

+physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental

+disability.

(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be

-appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of the five

-consecutive fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the pilot

-program is established under subsection (a).

-<all>

+appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal

+years 2027 through 2031.

+(k) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under

+this section shall terminate on September 30, 2031.

+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

+119th CONGRESS

+1st Session

+H. R. 2605

+[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

Lobbying activity

Organizations whose LDA filings reference this bill, ranked by filing count. Position not disclosed — LDA does not require lobbyists to report support / oppose / monitor. Bill-number references can be stale (lobbyists sometimes copy text year-over-year), so verify against the filing description.

DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

VET

filings · 2026 Q3

PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA

VET

filings · 2026 Q3

FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION

VET

filings · 2026 Q3

K9S FOR WARRIORS, INC.

VET

filings · 2025 Q3

IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA INC

VET

filings · 2025 Q2

MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

VET

filings · 2025 Q4

MISSION ROLL CALL

BUDDEFEDUHCRHOUIND

filings · 2025 Q4

via Senate LDA · self-reported quarterly. Filing count = filings mentioning this bill (no position required), not money spent on it. Click a client to see all bills they've filed on.

Cosponsors (75)

Members who signed on to support this bill.