[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 3, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1118]]
 DUNCAN HUNTER NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009

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                               speech of

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 2008

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5658) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2009, and for 
     other purposes:

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, I want to talk about an 
important topic relevant to this legislation.
  It's distressing that a rising number of our brave service men and 
women are coming back from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq 
suffering from the ``signature injuries of these conflicts''--Post 
Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.
  I believe that PTSD is a critically important issue and as a Congress 
we need to continue to do all we can to get our military leaders, 
commanders, and medical professionals to focus on this problem for our 
newest generation of veterans.
  In the past few years and even weeks, a number of studies have 
pointed out the gaps in our military health care system into which may 
be falling a growing number of our servicemembers who may be suffering 
from PTSD.
  I am sure that my colleagues are very aware of the recent RAND report 
that up to 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans may be suffering from 
PTSD and/or depression.
  This issue was brought to my attention most vividly by a constituent 
who served 10 months in Iraq. After he came home, he began to self-
medicate--as a number of soldiers who may be suffering from this deadly 
disease do-- using alcohol and engaging in misconduct that ultimately 
got him discharged from the service.
  Unfortunately, this discharge not only prevented him from continuing 
to receive needed mental health care from the DOD but also from going 
to the VA to get treated for PTSD.
  My constituent ultimately took his life and left many, including his 
family, to wonder if he had been able to get needed help after his 
return from Iraq, or if he could have accessed the number of mental 
health services that are available from the VA, whether the outcome 
could have been different.
  What is clear from the DoD's mental health task force and other 
reports is that the outcome can be different for the thousands of our 
soldiers who may be suffering.
  I am pleased by the hard work and focus on this issue that the Armed 
Services Committee has taken in the past few years. I commend the 
Chairman, the Ranking Member, and others who have worked and continue 
to do so to ensure that the ``signature injuries'' of our ongoing 
conflicts receive the highest level of attention from this Congress.
  I also want to commend the Services on the changes and improvements 
they've made thus far.
  However, let's be clear: more can be done. I offered three amendments 
to this bill to highlight the need to continue to try and make those 
improvements.
  The amendment made in order today would ensure that recommendations 
that have been put forward to close identified gaps are actually 
implemented and that our servicemembers see actual improvements in 
terms of their ability to receive help when they need it.
  That is the purpose of the amendment which the Chairman has 
graciously included in this En Bloc package that would require the GAO 
to assess the DoD's progress in implementing the June 2007 
recommendations of the Congressionally created DoD Mental Health Task 
Force.
  It is my expectation that the GAO will examine and assess the 
implementation of all the recommendations with a focus on those related 
to:
  Developing a comprehensive public education campaign to reduce the 
stigma associated with mental health problems;
  Changing Department of Defense policies to ``Guarantee a Thorough 
Assessment of Behavioral Symptoms When Evaluating Combat Veterans for 
Administrative/Legal Dismissal from the Military'' including 
``carefully assessing a soldier's history of exposure to conditions 
that could cause PTSD, or traumatic brain injury, or related diagnoses 
for those facing administrative or medical discharge'';
  Appointment of a psychological director of health in each military 
department, military treatment facility, the National Guard, and the 
Reserves;
  Enhancing TRICARE benefits and care for mental health problems;
  Implementing an annual psychological health assessment addressing 
cognition, psychological functioning, and overall psychological 
readiness for each member of the Armed Forces, including members of the 
National Guard and reserve components;
  Developing a model for allocating resources to military mental health 
facilities, and services embedded in line units, based on an assessment 
of the needs of and risks faced by the populations served by such 
facilities and services;
  Maintaining adequate family support programs for families of deployed 
members of the Armed Forces.
  It is my desire that GAO report on the dates on which recommendations 
are expected to be fully implemented and progress on implementing the 
recommendations throughout the year covered by the report, including 
barriers.
  We must never lose sight of the fact that the goal is not just for 
DoD to have a plan, although that is helpful, but to actually make 
these changes and do it in a timely way.
  I thank the Chairman for his support of this simple amendment and 
look forward to working with him in the future to ascertain what 
additional steps, if any, that are needed and which can be taken to 
help our servicemembers who may be suffering from PTSD.
  Again, I thank you for your efforts.

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