An amendment introduced by U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) to increase funding for equine-assisted therapy on July 24 received approval from the U.S. House of Representatives as part of an appropriations bill in a 224-189 vote.
Rep. Barr’s amendment would increase funding by $5 million for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Adaptive Sports Grant Program, which provides grants to organizations offering equine-assisted therapy to disabled U.S. military veterans and disabled members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The congressman’s Sixth Congressional District of Kentucky is home to several facilities that offer equine-assisted therapy, according to his office.
“This important funding will help ensure that veterans in Kentucky and across the country have increased access to equine-assisted therapy programs through the VA,” said Rep. Barr, “giving them a non-traditional, innovative and alternative approach to healing.”
Rep. Barr’s amendment was adopted with several bipartisan amendments to the State, Foreign Operations, Agriculture, Rural Development, Interior, Environment, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2021, H.R. 7608, which would provide fiscal year 2021 appropriations for the U.S. Department of State, foreign operations and related programs.
“As a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and chairman of the Congressional Horse Caucus, I look forward to continuing to see the positive results this evidence-based, equine-assisted therapy provides our veterans,” said Rep. Barr last week.
The appropriations bill now heads to the U.S. Senate for action.