Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) In 2022, the Government Accountability Office report titled Working Dogs: Federal Agencies Need to Better Address Health and Welfare (GAO–23–104489) included a finding that, as of 2022, approximately 5,100 working dogs were managed pursuant to 40 Federal programs, including as follows: (A) 2,942 for the Department of Homeland Security, including— (i) 1,097 for the Transportation Security Administration, carrying out duties relating to explosives detection; (ii) 863 for the United States Border Patrol of United States Customs and Border Protection, carrying out duties relating to human detection; (iii) 498 for the Office of Field Operations of United States Customs and Border Protection, carrying out duties relating to human detection; (iv) 151 for the Office of Training and Development of United States Customs and Border Protection, carrying out duties relating to human detection; (v) 130 for the elements of United States Customs and Border Protection involved in agriculture activities, carrying out duties relating to disease surveillance; (vi) 111 for the United States Secret Service; (vii) 70 for the Federal Protective Service, carrying out duties relating to explosives detection; (viii) 18 for the United States Coast Guard, carrying out duties relating to explosives detection; and (ix) 4 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (B) 564 for the Air Force. (C) 469 for the Army. (D) 319 for the Navy. (E) 189 for the Marine Corps. (F) 140 for the United States Special Operations Command. (G) 32 for the National Security Agency. (H) 24 for the Pentagon Force Protection Agency. (I) 19 for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. (J) 9 for the National Guard Bureau. (K) 4 for the Defense Intelligence Agency. (2) A report of the Government Accountability Office titled Medical Conditions and Care for End-of-Service Military Working Dogs (GAO–17–358), issued in 2017, included a finding that the average cost of care for a retired military working dog is an average of $1,182 per fiscal year, excluding the cost for specialty medical expenses required for such dogs, such as extensive surgeries from service-related injuries, medical supplements vital for health, and treatments for other illnesses accumulated through service. (3) Owners of retired Federal working dogs are therefore required to rely on nonprofit organizations to assist in paying for such medical expenses. (4) Nonprofit organizations secure funds for such payments to owners via fundraising and donors, but do not always receive the necessary amount of funds to assist owners in covering such medical expenses. (5) Awarding Federal grants to such nonprofits for such payments to owners would ensure the coverage of such necessary amounts.