[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 82 (Thursday, May 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


      PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1585, NATIONAL DEFENSE 
                 AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. THOMAS H. ALLEN

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2007

  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I offer today seeks to bring 
hope from tragedy.
  CAP Patrick Damon, who lived in Falmouth, ME, with his wife and two 
children, was a loyal public servant, both in State government and in 
the Maine National Guard.
  In early 2006, Captain Damon was deployed with the Maine Guard's 
240th Engineer Group to Afghanistan. On June 15 of that year, Patrick 
collapsed in his bunk after a run. Initial reports were that he died of 
a heart attack, even though he had no previous or family history of 
heart problems.
  Captain Damon's mother, Barbara Damon-Day, has been persistent in 
seeking to get more information from the Army about the cause of her 
son's death. The Army lists the death as ``sudden unexpected,'' and the 
exact cause remains inconclusive.
  Based on her own investigation, Ms. Damon-Day believes her son's 
death was brought about by an adverse reaction to multiple vaccinations 
in a 24-hour period. Her investigation has revealed a lack of clarity 
in the Defense Department's guidelines and regulations on administering 
multiple vaccinations in a 24-hour period.
  My amendment seeks to focus needed attention on this issue. It 
requires the Defense Department to report to Congress on its policies 
on administering and evaluating multiple vaccinations within a 24-hour 
period to members of the Armed Forces, including the Guard and Reserve. 
It requires information on whether the department's policies conform to 
the regulations and guidelines of federal health agencies.
  The amendment also requests data on the number of deaths that have 
been investigated for vaccines-related causes, and information on how 
medical records are shared with the Adjutant General of the states.
  Finally, the amendment requires the Department to perform a study on 
the safety and effectiveness of administering multiple vaccines with a 
24-hour period to service personnel.
  Since her son's death in June 2006, Mrs. Damon-Day has worked 
tirelessly to improve the Defense Department's medical screening of 
Armed Forces prior to their deployment overseas. The Maine Legislature 
is currently considering legislation to create a commission to improve 
medical screening of Maine Guard personnel before they go overseas.
  Barbara Damon-Day has honored her son's memory by making it her 
mission to improve the health screenings given our military, and to 
improve the information they receive, before they leave to serve on our 
behalf in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the globe. We owe her our 
gratitude for her efforts and our support to help advance her cause. I 
hope that my amendment can play a part in that mission.
  I urge support for the Allen amendment.

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