Veterans STAND Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6835 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6835

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
  Veterans Affairs to offer annual preventative health evaluations to
 veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder and increase access to
            assistive technologies, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 18, 2025

  Mr. Bergman (for himself, Mr. Bost, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr.
   Moolenaar, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Huizenga, Mr. Davis of North
Carolina, Ms. Norton, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Crow, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Van Orden,
  Mr. James, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, and Ms. Lee of Nevada) introduced the
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
  Veterans Affairs to offer annual preventative health evaluations to
 veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder and increase access to
            assistive technologies, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New
Devices Act'' or the ``Veterans STAND Act''.

SEC. 2. PROVISION OF PREVENTATIVE HEALTH EVALUATIONS FOR VETERANS WITH
              A SPINAL CORD INJURY OR DISORDER.

    Section 1706 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d)(1) In managing the provision of hospital care and medical
services under section 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary shall
furnish (through direct provision of service, referral, or a telehealth
program operated by the Department) a preventative health evaluation
annually to any veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder who
elects to undergo the evaluation.
    ``(2) The evaluation described in paragraph (1) shall include the
following:
            ``(A) An assessment of any circumstance or condition the
        veteran is experiencing that indicates a risk for any health
        complication related to the spinal cord injury or disorder,
        including a risk of comorbidities.
            ``(B) An assessment regarding chronic pain and, if
        applicable, the management of chronic pain.
            ``(C) An assessment regarding dietary management and weight
        management.
            ``(D) An assessment regarding prosthetic equipment,
        including which prosthetic equipment the veteran needs, how
        well any existing prosthetic equipment is functioning
        considering the needs of the veteran, and any safety concerns
        regarding the prosthetic equipment in use by or recommended to
        the veteran.
            ``(E) An assessment with respect to the provision of
        assistive technology, including spinal cord neuromodulation
        technology (such as non-invasive transcutaneous spinal
        stimulation), that could help maximize the veteran's voluntary
        motor or autonomic function, independence, or mobility,
        including suitability for home use and need for training,
        programming, and remote follow-up.
    ``(3)(A) In maintaining, prescribing, or amending any guidance,
rules, or regulations issued by the Department regarding the
requirements set out in this subsection, the Secretary shall consult
with--
            ``(i) the spinal cord injury and disorder program managers
        of the Department;
            ``(ii) clinicians employed by the Department as specialists
        in spinal cord injuries and disorders;
            ``(iii) clinicians and technologists with demonstrated
        expertise in spinal cord neuromodulation therapies, including
        non-invasive transcutaneous approaches; and
            ``(iv) representatives of organizations recognzied under
        section 5902 of this title.
    ``(B) Before issuing any guidance, rules, or regulations regarding
the requirements set out in this subsection, the Secretary shall
consult with manufacturers of assistive technologies and other entities
relevant to the provision of assistive technologies if the guidance,
rules, or regulations would directly affect such manufacturers or
entities.
    ``(C) The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent possible, that any
veteran known by the Secretary to have a spinal cord injury or disorder
receives information annually about the evaluation available under this
subsection and the benefits to the veteran of choosing to undergo the
evaluation.
    ``(4) As the Secretary determines clinically appropriate, the
Secretary may provide training, programming, remote monitoring, and
follow-up for assistive technologies through telehealth.
    ``(5) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of
the Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices Act, and every two
years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a
report that includes the following:
            ``(A) For the period covered by the report--
                    ``(i) the number of veterans who--
                            ``(I) received medical care or hospital
                        services from the Department and used an
                        assistive technology;
                            ``(II) received medical care or hospital
                        services from the Department and were assessed
                        for the provision of an assistive technology;
                        and
                            ``(III) received medical care or hospital
                        services from the Department and were
                        prescribed an assistive technology.
                    ``(ii) for any assistive technology prescribed, an
                identification of the category of such technology,
                including spinal cord neuromodulation, and a summary of
                functional outcomes associated with the prescription of
                such technology, if available.
            ``(B) The year-to-year change (for the period covered by
        the report, including the two years immediately prior to year
        the report is submitted) in the percent of veterans with a
        spinal cord injury or disorder who received an evaluation under
        this subsection.
    ``(6) In reviewing the performance metrics of a Veterans Integrated
Service Network for any year beginning after the date that is one year
after the date of the enactment of the Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to
New Devices Act, the Secretary shall consider the provision of
evaluations under paragraph (1).
    ``(7) In this subsection, the term `assistive technology' means a
powered medical device or electronic tool used to treat or alleviate
symptoms or conditions caused by a spinal cord injury or disorder,
including the following:
            ``(A) A personal mobility device, including a powered
        exoskeleton device.
            ``(B) A speech generating device.
            ``(C) A spinal cord neuromodulation technology, including
        non-invasive transcutaneous spinal stimulation using sensory
        (afferent) pathways, intended to improve voluntary motor
        function, autonomic function, independence, or quality of life.
            ``(D) Where clinically appropriate, and consistent with the
        prosthetic and sensory aids policies of the Department, an
        implantable spinal cord stimulation system that is approved by
        the Food and Drug Administration.''.
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