# Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act: Plain Language Summary

This bill funds educational programs to train more specialists in orthotics and prosthetics—the field that designs and fits artificial limbs and mobility devices for people who need them. The government will give grants of $1 million to $1.5 million each to colleges and universities that either start new master's degree programs in this field or expand existing ones. The goal is to create more trained professionals who can help veterans and active-duty service members who have lost limbs or have mobility problems, as well as civilians with similar needs.

The bill sets aside $15 million for these education grants, which schools can use in various ways: hiring and training faculty, buying equipment, renovating buildings, offering financial aid to students, or conducting research. Schools that partner with Veterans Affairs medical centers or military facilities get priority for funding. Importantly, schools receiving grants must give preference to veterans when admitting students and awarding financial aid, especially veterans who have experienced limb loss or mobility issues themselves. This means veterans interested in this career field would have a better chance of getting into these programs and getting help paying for them.

Additionally, the bill allocates $5 million for a single "Center of Excellence" at one top-tier institution to conduct research on how to best train orthotics and prosthetics professionals. This center will study what skills and knowledge these specialists need and how to teach them most effectively. The research findings will be shared across the field to improve training nationwide. Overall, the bill aims to address a shortage of trained professionals in this specialty by investing in education and making it easier for veterans to enter the field.