DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE OF NATIONAL VETERANS SPORTS PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.

SEC. 703. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE OF NATIONAL VETERANS SPORTS PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.(a) Establishment of Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events.—Chapter 3, as amended by section 222, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:122 STAT. 4184 “§ 322. Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events“(a) Establishment.—There is in the Department an Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events. There is at the head of the Office a Director, who shall report to an appropriate official of the Veterans Benefits Administration, as determined by the Secretary, or to the Deputy Secretary or Secretary.“(b) Responsibilities of Director.—Subject to the direction of the Secretary, the Director—“(1) shall establish and carry out qualifying programs and events;“(2) may provide for sponsorship by the Department of qualifying programs and events;“(3) may provide for, facilitate, and encourage participation by disabled veterans in qualifying programs and events;“(4) shall, to the extent feasible, cooperate with the United States Paralympics, Inc., and its partners to promote the participation of disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces in sporting events sponsored by the United States Paralympics, Inc., and its partners;“(5) shall seek sponsorships and donations from the private sector to defray costs of carrying out the responsibilities of the Director to the maximum extent feasible; and“(6) may carry out such other responsibilities as the Secretary determines are appropriate.“(c) Qualifying Program or Event.—For purposes of this section, a qualifying program or event is a sports program or other event in which disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces participate and that is approved by the Secretary as being consistent with the goals and missions of the Department.“(d) Monthly Assistance Allowance.—(1) Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary may provide a monthly assistance allowance to a veteran with a disability invited by the United States Paralympics, Inc., to compete for a slot on, or selected for, the Paralympic Team for any month in which the veteran is training or competing in any event sanctioned by the United States Paralympics, Inc., or who is residing at a United States Paralympics, Inc., training center.“(2) The amount of the monthly assistance payable to a veteran under paragraph (1) shall be equal to the monthly amount of subsistence allowance that would be payable to the veteran under chapter 31 of this title if the veteran were eligible for and entitled to rehabilitation under such chapter.“(3) In providing assistance under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to veterans with service-connected disabilities.“(4) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013.“(e) Limitation on Statutory Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed as a limitation on disabled sports and special events supported by the Department as of the date of the enactment of this section.” .(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: “322. Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events.”. 122 STAT. 4185(c) Assistance at Sporting Events.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall direct the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs—(1) to make available, to the extent determined appropriate by the Secretary, recreational therapists, physical therapists, and other medical staff to facilitate participation of veterans in sporting events conducted under the auspices of the United States Paralympics, Inc.; and(2) to allow such personnel to provide support to the programs of the United States Paralympics, Inc., without requiring the use of personal leave.