U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has introduced new legislation aimed at improving care for veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders. The proposed Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices (STAND) Act would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer annual preventive health evaluations for these veterans. The evaluations would cover chronic pain management, diet, comorbidity risks, and access to prosthetic equipment.
The bill also calls for expanding the use of assistive technologies within VA care. It mandates that the VA report annually to Congress on how many veterans are being treated with such technologies and receiving spinal cord injury assessments.
Senator Moran stated, “Veterans living with spinal cord injuries continue to face the life-altering effects of their service long after their time in uniform has ended. With the right preventative health systems in place, and new and continued development of adaptive technologies, these veterans can not only manage their injuries but thrive in their post-military service lives. The Veterans STAND Act would allow veterans who have suffered a spinal cord injury or disorder to receive the care they deserve while maximizing their independence and mobility. I look forward to its passage.”
Moran previously introduced this legislation during the 118th Congress in 2024.
Heather Ansley, Chief Policy Officer at Paralyzed Veterans of America, expressed support: "We applaud the Veterans STAND Act for strengthening access to annual assessments for veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders. Regular, comprehensive reviews are essential to preserving health, independence, and quality of life — and this bill rightly ensures that those assessments consider the latest assistive technologies. By embedding technological advances into standard care, the STAND Act will help more veterans regain function, stay connected to their communities, and live with greater dignity."
Sherman Gillums Jr., Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy at Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation added: “For veterans living with spinal cord injuries, standing is often described in symbolic terms, but its significance is far more concrete. The ability to rise upright affects circulation, bone density, digestion, and long-term organ function in ways that clinicians understand well. It also changes how a person moves through the world. Eye level and interactions shift. A veteran who can stand, even with assistance, experiences a degree of autonomy that is difficult to quantify but easy to recognize,” said Sherman Gillums Jr., Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. “Powered exoskeletons are one of the tools that make that shift possible. Expanding access to these technologies within the Department of Veterans Affairs is a practical step toward aligning policy with what medical evidence and the experiences of veterans themselves already make clear: when veterans regain the ability to stand, they regain strength, stability, and greater control over their daily lives.”
The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee plays a role in overseeing programs supporting U.S. veterans by improving access to VA health care services and collaborating with agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs. The committee is responsible for benefits oversight nationwide and works from offices located in the U.S. Capitol complex. Senator Jerry Moran currently serves as chairman alongside ranking member Richard Blumenthal as noted on its official website.
