[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 69 (Monday, June 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S5425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              VA RESEARCH

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, today I rise to highlight the wonderful 
work being conducted by VA's Medical and Prosthetic Research Program. 
VA research programs continue to lead in developing innovative and 
effective methods of treatment that have been its trademark since World 
War II. From its inception, the VA research program has made landmark 
contributions to the welfare of veterans and the entirety of the 
Nation.
  Past VA research projects have resulted in the first successful liver 
transplant performed in the United States, development of the cardiac 
pacemaker, and pioneered the technologies that led to the CT and MRI 
scans. VA research also played a vital role in treating tuberculosis, 
rehabilitating blind veterans, and more recently, launched the largest 
ever clinical trial of psychotherapy to treat PTSD.
  In 2004, VA research took on leadership of a $60 million nation wide 
study--funded by the National Institute on Aging and other partners--to 
identify brain changes linked with Alzheimer's disease. VA research 
also established a major center of excellence, in partnership with 
Brown University and MIT, to develop state-of-the-art prosthetics for 
veteran amputees. For the last 60 years, VA research has been extremely 
competitive with its private sector counterparts.
  I would like to recognize a few research projects that can 
potentially benefit veterans living in remote and rural areas across 
the country, including veterans living in my home State of Hawaii, 
where the geography creates challenges in accessing care. One study, 
Telemedicine and Anger Management Groups for PTSD Veterans in the 
Hawaiian Islands, builds on preliminary research supporting the use of 
technology for improving access to mental health care for veterans 
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. The study focuses 
on the effectiveness of conducting anger management group therapy 
treatment through video-teleconferencing.
  I also applaud the Pacific Islands Division of the National Center 
for PTSD in Honolulu. Their efforts have improved access to PTSD 
treatment in remote areas and contributed to the knowledge and 
understanding of cultural factors related to PTSD. I commend the 
Pacific Islands Division for its collaboration with the Department of 
Defense. I hope that VA and DOD continue to work together on future 
research projects aimed at providing better treatment for 
servicemembers and veterans alike.
  In 2004, VA Research Currents, a publication that highlights the 
excellent work of the VA research community, reported on a study which 
found that men who walked less than a quarter of a mile each day were, 
on average, nearly twice as likely to develop dementia compared to 
those that walked more than 2 miles a day.
  This research project was led by Robert D. Abbott, Ph.D, of the 
University of Virginia; senior author Helen Petrovitch, M.D.; and 
coauthor G. Webster Ross, M.D., of the Honolulu VA Medical Center. 
According to the researchers, the findings suggest that promotion of an 
active lifestyle could promote better health later on in life.
  The last study I would like to discuss examines the correlation 
between drinking coffee and preventing Parkinson's disease. It has been 
said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this 
case, VA researchers and their colleagues found that consuming at least 
28 ounces of coffee can lower the risk of Parkinson's disease. Lead 
author G. Webster Ross, M.D., along with colleagues from the Kuakini 
Medical Center, used participant dietary nutritional data from the 
Honolulu Heart Program for their findings. The study helped scientists 
better understand the mechanisms of Parkinson's disease and found a 
strong correlation between coffee drinkers and low rates of Parkinson's 
disease. Dr. Ross did note, however, that it was too early to recommend 
drinking coffee to prevent Parkinson's disease.
  To ensure that VA can continue these studies and tremendous 
successes, VA research must be given the funds to do the job. VA 
research funding must be at a level that takes into account not only 
inflation but new challenges as well. Most importantly, adequately 
funding VA research helps to ensure that VA remains an attractive 
option to our best and brightest in medicine. Chairman Craig and I, 
along with 60 of our colleagues, have recommended $432 million in 
funding for VA research next year, notwithstanding that this number is 
just to maintain current services and avoid any personnel or project 
cuts.
  Just last week, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing on 
the VA research program, hearing firsthand the challenges researchers 
face in not only finding new methods of treatment but in funding, too. 
I came away from the hearing with a better understanding of the VA 
research program's needs, as well as the challenges we in Congress can 
help them overcome.
  That is why I, along with 61 of my colleagues, have recommended an 
addition to the VA research budget and not a decrease. Less funding for 
VA research at this point in time will have negative consequences down 
the road, when VA inherits the servicemen and women currently serving 
in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let us not fail in our responsibilities of 
providing adequate funding so VA's Medical and Prosthetic Research 
Program can continue to innovate and save lives.

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