[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 25, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E761]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 NATIONAL BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CANDICE S. MILLER

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 23, 2009

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 178--expressing the need for enhanced public awareness of 
traumatic brain injury and support for the designation of a National 
Brain Injury Awareness Month.
  It is appropriate that we debate this bill today, since March is 
widely recognized as Brain Injury Awareness Month. Now, more than ever, 
we need to heighten the public's awareness to a growing issue--
Traumatic Brain Injury.
  Traumatic Brain Injury has been called the signature wound of the War 
on Terror, as thousands of American servicemen and women have been 
diagnosed with TBI and untold more have yet to be diagnosed.
  An estimated 360,000 soldiers have sustained Traumatic Brain Injuries 
in Iraq and Afghanistan. Furthermore, Military health screening 
programs have shown that as many as 20% of returning troops have 
suffered at least a mild concussion.
  The use of Improvised Explosive devices are the primary cause of this 
silent wound. Often, symptoms don't manifest themselves for some time. 
Many of the symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury are similar to Post 
Traumatic Stress Syndrome, further hindering a proper diagnosis.
  The dramatic increase in Traumatic Brain Injuries among military 
veterans has created huge stresses on the VA system's capability to 
handle. While there was no way that the VA could have predicted the 
demand for Traumatic Brain Injuries treatment and rehabilitation before 
our troops were deployed in response to the attacks on our country, the 
fact remains that we need to provide better services to our veterans, 
and we need to be able to provide those services in their own 
communities rather than requiring them to travel for treatment.
  The Veterans Administration is already working with some private and 
nonprofit providers of Traumatic Brain Injury treatment and 
rehabilitation, but it can and should identify more opportunities to 
allow veterans to receive appropriate, high-quality care from providers 
in their own communities.
  And that is why I have joined with my colleagues here in Congress and 
joined the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force.
  Our goal is to further educate and raise awareness of brain injury 
and support funding for basic and applied research on brain injury 
rehabilitation. It is important that we give brain injury the attention 
it is due to help us move beyond the ``silent epidemic'' and towards 
real treatments, supports, and eventually cures.
  The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force has worked to ensure that 
individuals have access to reliable information, effective prevention 
strategies, and, if injured, comprehensive and appropriate treatments.
  We owe our nation's veterans a debt we cannot fully repay, but we 
must make sure that every solider, sailor, airman or Marine exposed to 
an Improvised Explosive Device is properly screened and treated for 
Traumatic Brain Injury--we owe them no less.
  I support the recognition of March as National Brain Injury Awareness 
Month and I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this bill.

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