Veterans Outdoor Rehabilitation Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4197 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4197

  To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program
under which the Secretary shall award grants to certain State entities
to expand access to structured outdoor recreation programs for veterans
         that enhance veteran wellness, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2026

  Mr. Cramer (for himself, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Boozman, and Ms. Slotkin)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program
under which the Secretary shall award grants to certain State entities
to expand access to structured outdoor recreation programs for veterans
         that enhance veteran wellness, 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 Outdoor Rehabilitation
Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR
              VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish
a program under which the Secretary shall award grants to covered State
entities to expand access to structured outdoor recreation programs for
veterans that enhance veteran wellness.
    (b) Use of Amounts.--A covered State entity awarded a grant under
this section may use amounts under such grant as follows:
            (1) To directly develop and administer an outdoor
        recreation program for veterans.
            (2) To contract with local outfitters, guides, nonprofit
        organizations, or community-based outdoor recreation providers
        to conduct such program.
            (3) To develop partnerships to deliver structured outdoor
        programming for veterans.
            (4) To reduce financial barriers to participation in such
        program, including equipment, program fees, and reasonable
        transportation costs.
            (5) To conduct outreach to veteran populations to raise
        awareness about such program.
            (6) To expand an existing outdoor recreation program for
        veterans operated in the State.
            (7) To coordinate with Federal agencies involved in land
        management with respect to such program, including the
        following:
                    (A) The National Park Service.
                    (B) The Bureau of Land Management.
                    (C) The Forest Service.
                    (D) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
                    (E) The Army Corps of Engineers.
    (c) Collaboration and Coordination.--
            (1) Collaboration.--The Secretary shall encourage
        collaboration between covered State entities participating in
        the grant program under this section and the Federal agencies
        described in subsection (b)(7) to--
                    (A) expand access by veterans to outdoor spaces;
                    (B) to reduce administrative barriers; and
                    (C) to identify appropriate locations for organized
                activities.
            (2) Coordination.--The Secretary shall encourage covered
        State entities participating in the grant program under this
        section to coordinate with other covered State entities to
        maximize access by veterans to outdoor recreation
        opportunities.
    (d) Application Requirements.--To receive a grant under this
section, a covered State entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application therefor that includes the following:
            (1) A plan for administering funds awarded under such
        grant.
            (2) Criteria for selecting partners for the outdoor
        recreation program or programs carried out by such entity.
            (3) A certification that the outdoor recreation program or
        programs carried out by such entity meet qualification
        standards determined by the State.
            (4) Methods for collecting data for participation in the
        outdoor recreation program or programs carried out by such
        entity.
    (e) Approval of Application and Funding Amounts.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of
        appropriations, each covered State entity that submits an
        application meeting the requirements under subsection (d) for a
        grant under this section shall be approved to receive such
        grant in an amount of not less than $200,000 for the applicable
        fiscal year.
            (2) Additional amounts.--If additional amounts are
        available for a fiscal year to carry out this section, those
        additional amounts shall be distributed among the covered State
        entities for which an application under subsection (d) was
        approved under paragraph (1).
    (f) Reports.--Not less frequently than annually, each covered State
entity in receipt of a grant under this section shall submit to the
Secretary a report that includes the following:
            (1) Participation metrics regarding any outdoor recreation
        program carried out by such entity with amounts provided under
        such grant, including--
                    (A) the types of activities funded and partnerships
                established under such program;
                    (B) the number of veterans served under such
                program;
                    (C) frequency of participation by veterans under
                such program; and
                    (D) demographic distribution of veterans
                participating in such program.
            (2) Observations with respect to any outdoor recreation
        program carried out by such entity, including--
                    (A) self-reported changes in well-being of
                veterans;
                    (B) social connectedness indicators; and
                    (C) physical activity engagement.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Outdoor recreation program.--The term ``outdoor
        recreation program'' means a nature-based activity designed to
        improve the mental and physical well-being of veterans,
        including activities that promote physical engagement, peer
        connection, skill-building, or therapeutic benefit, and may
        include adaptive or accessible activities designed to
        accommodate veterans with disabilities.
            (2) Covered state entity.--The term ``covered State
        entity'' means the primary agency of a State that is
        responsible for programs and services for veterans.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $10,000,000 for each
fiscal year to carry out this section.
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