119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 4655

United States-Israel PTSD Collaborative Research Act

Introduced

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

This bill directs the Department of Defense to create a grant program to foster collaboration between U.S. and Israeli researchers on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research. The goal is to increase scientific cooperation and explore more effective treatments for PTSD, considering the high rates of the condition among veterans and soldiers in both countries. The program will fund joint research projects between U.S. academic and nonprofit institutions and Israeli counterparts, with reporting requirements to Congress on the research’s progress and outcomes.

Key provisions

Establishes a grant program within the Department of Defense.
Requires collaboration between U.S. and Israeli research entities.
Focuses research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Operates under the framework of the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation agreement.
Eligible recipients are U.S.-based academic institutions or nonprofits.
Grants must be used for research projects determined appropriate by the Secretary of Defense.
Requires grantees to submit reports to Congress on project details and evaluation.
The grant program will terminate after 7 years.

Who is affected

U.S. Veterans
Israeli Soldiers
Academic Institutions (U.S. and Israel)
Nonprofit Research Entities (U.S. and Israel)
Department of Defense

Notable changes

Creates a dedicated funding mechanism for collaborative PTSD research between the U.S. and Israel.

Positions across the country

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Arguments opposed

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Legislative history

2025-07-23House

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

2025-07-23

Introduced in House

2025-07-23

Introduced in House

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Jul 23, 2025XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 1st Session

H. R. 4655

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a grant program to increase cooperation on post-traumatic stress disorder research between the United States and Israel.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

United States-Israel PTSD Collaborative Research Act

2.Findings

Congress makes the following findings:

(1)The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that about 29 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom have had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their life. In addition, that figure amounts to about 21 percent of Gulf War veterans and up to 10 percent of Vietnam veterans.

(2)

The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that among women veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, almost 20 percent have been diagnosed with PTSD.

(3)

In the United States, it is thought that 70 percent of Americans have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, and approximately 20 percent of those persons have struggled or continue to struggle with symptoms of PTSD.

(4)

Studies show that PTSD has links to homelessness and substance abuse in the United States. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that approximately 11 percent of the homeless population are veterans and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that about 7 percent of veterans have a substance abuse disorder.

(5)Our ally Israel, under constant attack from terrorist groups, experiences similar issues with Israeli veterans facing PTSD symptoms. Tel Aviv University’s National Center for Traumatic Stress and Resilience found that 12 percent of soldiers who served in the Gaza war experience severe PTSD.

(6)

Current treatment options in the United States focus on cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, but the United States must continue to look for more effective treatments. Several leading Israeli hospitals, academic institutions, and nonprofits dedicate research and services to treating PTSD.

3.Grant program for increased cooperation on post-traumatic stress disorder research between United States and Israel

(a)Sense of CongressIt is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program, should seek to explore scientific collaboration between American academic institutions and nonprofit research entities, and Israeli institutions with expertise in researching, diagnosing, and treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

(b)Grant programThe Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of State, shall award grants to eligible entities to carry out collaborative research between the United States and Israel with respect to post-traumatic stress disorders. The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the grant program under this section in accordance with the agreement titled Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Israel on the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation, dated September 27, 1972.

(c)Eligible entitiesTo be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be an academic institution or a nonprofit entity located in the United States.

(d)Award

The Secretary shall award grants under this section to eligible entities that—

(1)

carry out a research project that—

(A)addresses a requirement in the area of post-traumatic stress disorders that the Secretary determines appropriate to research using such grant; and

(B)

is conducted by the eligible entity and an entity in Israel under a joint research agreement; and

(2)meet such other criteria that the Secretary may establish.

(e)ApplicationTo be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such commitments and information as the Secretary may require.

(f)Gift authorityThe Secretary may accept, hold, and administer, any gift of money made on the condition that the gift be used for the purpose of the grant program under this section. Such gifts of money accepted under this subsection shall be deposited in the Treasury in the Department of Defense General Gift Fund and shall be available, subject to appropriation, without fiscal year limitation.

(g)Reports

Not later than 180 days after the date on which an eligible entity completes a research project using a grant under this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that contains—

(1)

a description of how the eligible entity used the grant; and

(2)

an evaluation of the level of success of the research project.

(h)Termination

The authority to award grants under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date on which the first such grant is awarded.

HR 4655

Bill overview

Key provisions

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