The safety and security of our nation continues to be a top priority of mine. After the events of September 11th and increasing terrorist activity worldwide, I believe that Congress must continue to support a military that has been called upon to engage in global operations. Our Armed Forces deserve the highest levels of training and equipment, and Congress must continue to support funding for the military until an effective and peaceful resolution has been met overseas.
Furthermore, I am committed to protecting and serving our nation's veterans and military retirees. As your Member of Congress, I am ever grateful for the unflinching service and dedication to the strength of our nation that our veterans and military retirees provide. America must always remember the men and women who allow us to enjoy freedom. And while Americans can never repay the debt we owe to the men and women who have served this country so faithfully, we can remember and reflect upon the freedom we enjoy due to the tremendous sacrifice of our active duty and veteran community. I will continue to work to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve and that their sacrifice is properly memorialized throughout my service in Congress.
Traumatic Brain Injury Legislation
In the 112th Congress, I introduced the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Treatment Act (H.R. 396), which was adopted as an amendment to the House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012 and approved as an amendment in the House to the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill of 2012.
My TBI treatment initiative creates a five-year pilot program that allows active duty and veteran TBI patients to receive health care not currently available within military and veteran medical facilities from private physicians who are utilizing an array of leading-edge, successful therapies to treat TBI and PTSD. Through a “pay-for-performance” plan, physicians may qualify for payment from the Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs after proving through independent pre- and post-treatment neuropsychological testing, accepted survey instruments, neurological imaging, or clinical examination that a patient has experienced demonstrable improvement. Treatment and reimbursement safeguards in the legislation ensure immediate access to innovative private health care treatments while reserving payment only for treatments that work.
These brave men and women have sacrificed for our country, and I strongly believe we as a nation have a solemn duty to ensure that they have access to the most effective treatments available, whether through government or private health care.