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Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-08) unveiled a legislative package on Thursday that supports our nation’s wounded warriors by enhancing orthotics and prosthetics research and workforce.

“Supporting wounded servicemembers is a key part of the promise we make to those who selflessly join our military,” said Congressman Cartwright.  “This legislation will ensure our nation’s orthotics and prosthetics professionals have the resources they need to help us keep that promise.”

The legislation is divided into two bills.

The first bill, named the Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act, would invest in a competitive grant program to help colleges and universities create or expand master’s degree programs focusing on orthotics and prosthetics.  Each institution receiving one of these grants will require students to rotate through facilities run by the Departments of Veterans Affairs or Defense, or that hold VA contracts.  The bill also requires the VA to establish a Center of Excellence in Prosthetic and Orthotic Education to provide evidence-based research on the knowledge, skills and training clinical professionals need to care for veterans. 

The second bill, the Wounded Warrior Research Enhancement Act, establishes the first centralized collection of outcomes-based research on orthotics and prosthetics.  Currently, many practitioners rely on personal experience and trial-and-error methods, rather than empirical data, to determine which prosthetic device will work best for a given patient.  This can result in a patient being fitted for several different devices before the ideal fit is found, a lengthy and potentially costly process.  The research collection established by the bill will give caregivers the knowledge they need to better match prosthetic and orthotic devices with individual patients, saving time and money by improving the likelihood that a veteran’s first prosthetic will also be the best.  In addition, the research collection will provide information on advanced materials, technologies and devices. 

Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) unveiled similar legislation in the U.S. Senate.

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