{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-blumenthal-luttrell-mcgarvey-usaa-and-vsos-urge-congress-to-pass-bipartisan-legislation-to-provide-service-dogs-to-eligible-veterans", "Tillis, Blumenthal, Luttrell, McGarvey, USAA, and VSOs Urge Congress to Pass Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Service Dogs to Eligible Veterans", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Thom Tillis", "T000476", "www.tillis.senate.gov", "tillis", "https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Representative Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), and Representative Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), continued their push to pass theService Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES)Act, bipartisan legislation that would establish a program to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist them in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans.\n\nAdditionally, USAA and a coalition of 22 Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, urging them to bring up theSAVES Act for a vote in Congress.\n\n\u201cLong after the fighting on the battlefield ends, too many of the courageous servicemembers come home and continue to battle against enemies that many consider just as insidious as those with guns, grenades, and rockets. That is why in 2021, I introduced thePAWS Act that created a pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans, but it is clear we must continue to build on that effort to ensure this program is expanded to veterans in need,\u201dsaid Senator Tillis. \u201cTheSAVES Actwill allow more veterans who are struggling with the invisible wounds of war to receive service dogs that could ultimately save their lives. We must repay the debt to the men and women who served our country, I hope Congress quickly passes this legislation to provide them with his important resource.\u201d\n\n\u201cOurSAVES Act to improve access to service dogs for nation\u2019s veterans is long overdue,\u201dsaid Senator Blumenthal. \u201cWhen military men and women return home from service, they are often fighting invisible battles. These canine companions can offer our veterans comfort, ease their transition back into civilian life, and support their mental and physical health. I\u2019ll keep fighting for Congress to pass our bipartisan measure to ensure our veterans can access the essential and even life-saving assistance of service dogs.\u201d\n\n\u201cTheSAVES Act establishes a pathway allowing VA to provide service dogs to veterans in need,\u201dsaid Representative Luttrell. \u201cThese animals help ease the suffering and give lifesaving and lifechanging support during the transition from the battlefield to the homefront \u2014 and beyond.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur veterans are willing to put on the uniform and sacrifice everything to keep us safe and free, but that service comes at a cost,\u201d said Representative McGarvey. \u201cThat brave service oftentimes takes a toll on veterans' physical and mental health, and we've got to do everything we can to support them with tangible, proven solutions like the availability of life-saving service animals. I'm grateful to my colleagues for this bipartisan effort to prioritize the resources our veterans deserve and urge swift passage of this commonsense legislation.\u201d\n\nThe VSOs who signed the letter include the American Legion, K9s for Warriors, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Student Veterans of America, Operation Freedom Paws, Paws Assisting Veterans (PAVE), The Independence Fund, Canines for Service, Warrior Canine Connection, Hero Dogs, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), paws4people, Hawaii Fi-Do, VFW,DAV, PVA, Soldier's Best Friend, Paws for Purple Hearts, Air Force Sergeant Association, Fleet Reserve Association, Non Commissioned Officers Association, and Paws and Stripes.\n\n\u201cService Dogs have a proven track record of providing life-saving assistance to Veterans in critical need,\u201dsaid Daniel Bean, CEO at K9s For Warriors. \u201cAs the nation's leading provider of Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma, K9s For Warriors has seen firsthand how these service animals restore hope, stability, and purpose. The SAVES Act will ultimately put more Service Dogs in the hands of Veterans with visible and invisible wounds, allowing them to regain their independence and reintegrate into civilian life. We applaud Senator Tillis, Senator Blumenthal, Congressman Luttrell, and Congressman McGarvey for their unwavering support and urge Congress to pass this important legislation without delay \u2014 so even more Veterans can join the 1,200+ Warriors whose lives have already been saved and transformed through our program.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe VFW supports theService Dogs Assisting Veterans Act of 2025 (S. 1441/H.R. 2605), which allows veterans to receive support companions without having to endure long waitlists,\u201dsaid Meggan Coleman, National Legislative Associate Director at VFW. \u201cService dogs can assist veterans with various physical, auditory, and trauma-related disabilities, which can empower veterans to regain their independence, pride, and hope. The VFW commends Senator Tillis and Representative Luttrell for introducing this important legislation and looks forward to its swift passage.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American Legion strongly supports theSAVES Act, and we are proud to stand with our fellow Veterans Service Organizations in leading a joint letter urging congressional leadership to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor,\u201dsaid Dan K. Wiley, National Commander at American Legion. \u201cFor veterans living with PTSD or traumatic brain injury, service dogs provide proven, life-changing support that restores independence, stability, and hope. Expanding access to these programs is a meaningful step toward ensuring every veteran has the tools they need to heal. Congress should act without delay.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nIt is estimated that upwards of20% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have PTSD andmore than 485,000 service members have been diagnosed with at least one traumatic brain injury over the past two decades. As a result, these veterans suffer from alarmingly high rates of depression, anxiety, joblessness, homelessness, substance use disorder and other negative behaviors. Far too often, they resort to taking their own lives \u2013 roughly 20 veterans die by suicide each day, nearly one an hour.\n\nUnder theSAVES Act, nonprofit organizations would be required to submit an application to the Secretary that includes a description of the training that will be provided by the organization to eligible veterans; the training of dogs that will serve as service dogs; the aftercare services that the organization will provide for the service dogs and eligible Veteran; the plan for publicizing the availability of service dogs through a marketing campaign; the committee of the organization to have humane standards or animals.\n\nFull text of the letter is availableHERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-blumenthal-luttrell-mcgarvey-usaa-and-vsos-urge-congress-to-pass-bipartisan-legislation-to-provide-service-dogs-to-eligible-veterans"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6807338688522577, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}