Lawmakers introduce bill to create commemorative coins to honor working dogs

The top lawmakers on the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday introduced a bill that calls for developing a commemorative coin series to honor working dogs.

The bill, dubbed the Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act, would direct the U.S. Mint to create a three-coin commemorative coin series to honor “the invaluable service that working dogs provide to society.”

All surcharges from the bill would be given to America’s VetDogs — an organization that trains and places service dogs for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder and facility dogs for the rehabilitation process in military and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals.

The bill calls for no more than 1.3 million gold, silver and half-dollar clad coins to be created, which will have designs that are “emblematic of the vast contributions that working dogs serve in society to include the range of services that these dogs provide in detection, military service, therapy and assistance.”

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), the chair of the House Financial Services Committee and a co-sponsor of the bill, said working dogs provide an “invaluable service” from the battlefield to the home front.

“Not only do these incredible animals serve alongside our troops and law enforcement, but they also assist wounded veterans when they return home,” he added.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), the vice chair of the House Financial Services Committee and a co-sponsor of the bill, said the legislation will recognize service dogs and help provide financial support for training them.

“When I commanded infantry in Afghanistan, our K9 dog was an important member of the platoon,” Auchincloss said in a statement.

“Service dogs support homeland and national security across a range of missions, some of them highly dangerous. This bipartisan legislation will offer the recognition our service dogs deserve, while providing needed resources to train service dogs to support our veterans,” he added.

The introduction of the Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act comes after President Biden last month signed the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act, which will provide service dogs to veterans who have certain mental health conditions.

Specifically, it requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a five-year pilot program that will train and provide service dogs to qualifying veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder.

The bill requires that the department launch the program in at least five VA medical facilities by 2022.

Politico first reported on the bill being introduced.