Sinema Expanding Women’s Access to Cancer Screening & Treatment Services

Senator cosponsored the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES) Act

WASHINGTON - Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema cosponsored the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES) Act - bipartisan legislation supporting nonprofits that pair service dogs to eligible disabled veterans.

"Supporting our veterans is personal to me. Our bipartisan legislation expands access to service dogs for veterans who have sacrificed so much to keep our country safe and secure," said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

The Sinema-backed legislation provides critical support to veterans living with disabilities by establishing a grant program to help nonprofit organizations provide service dogs to veterans. Service dogs have been shown to help veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and other disabilities. A 2024 study by the University of Arizona in partnership with K9s for Warriors concluded that pairing service dogs with veterans resulted in Veterans having 66% lower odds of a PTSD diagnosis.

Under the SAVES Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will award grants to accredited nonprofit organizations to fund programs that provide service dogs to veterans with disabilities, including PTSD and TBIs.

Earlier this year, Sinema cosponsored the Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act - bipartisan legislation directing the U.S. Secretary of Treasury to mint commemorative coins honoring working dogs' service.

In 2021, Sinema and Republican Senator Thom Tillis (N.C.) led the bipartisan PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act - legislation establishing a pilot program where eligible veterans learn to train a service dog and adopt the service dog as their own - into law.

Throughout her time in Congress, mental health among Arizona veterans has been a top priority for Sinema. Last year, the Senator joined the Senate Mental Health Caucus - a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers focused on addressing America's mental health crisis, reducing stigma, and expanding access to care with commonsense solutions.