[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 86 (Friday, May 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1067]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            VAPTSD DIAGNOSES

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                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2008

  Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express the astonishment and 
indignation I felt upon learning of the actions of Dr. Norma Perez, 
staff psychologist at the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center in Temple, 
TX.
  For those who may not know, Dr. Perez sent an email referring to the 
increase in ``compensation seeking veterans'' and urged medical 
professionals to ``refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight 
out'' citing, among other reasons, the fact that veterans who have been 
diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the Temple facility 
have been appealing their compensation and pension judgments ``based on 
our assessment.''
  Madam Speaker, I am appalled. I am appalled that a medical 
professional at the Department of Veterans Affairs would consider the 
cost of treatment as a factor in making a medical diagnosis. What is 
the cost of a veteran's well-being? At what point do we determine that 
certain medical diagnoses would be too expensive to treat? At what 
point do we determine that a service induced injury is one that a 
veteran does not deserve to be compensated for?
  Madam Speaker, as President Lincoln reminded us in 1865, it is our 
duty as a nation to ensure that we ``care for him who shall have borne 
the battle''. We must accept our responsibility and ensure that our 
veterans have proper and complete medical care and diagnoses that are 
free of political considerations and are made in terms of their well- 
being.
  As a proud former member of the United States Army I am incensed that 
such a decision was ever considered. I applaud Secretary Peake for his 
repudiation of this affront to our Nation's veterans and call upon him 
to ensure that the culture of the Department of Veterans Affairs lives 
up to its stated goal of ``excellence in patient care, veterans' 
benefits and customer satisfaction.''

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