Hurd Helps Create Canine Pilot Program to Support Veterans

I recently joined my colleagues in passing a bipartisan bill to begin a pilot program for service dogs to assist veterans affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act (H.R. 4305) establishes a five-year pilot program under the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs giving eligible veterans with PTSD or post-deployment mental health the opportunity to train service dogs and eventually adopt them.

Recent research shows the suicide rate among veterans is 1.5 times the rate for non-veteran adults. Our servicemen and women fight so that we may enjoy the freedoms we take for granted, and we owe it to them to do everything we can to provide programs that meet their healthcare needs. This bipartisan bill establishes a great program that is backed by evidence-based research, and I look forward to continuing to fight for our Texas veterans.

As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, I was instrumental in securing funding for veteran therapy programs like this.