[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5450-H5451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        H.R. 1701, THE PTSD/TBI GUARANTEED REVIEW FOR HEROES ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, almost 2 million American servicemembers 
have served our Nation in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, many are 
returning home with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and 
traumatic brain injuries. An April 2008 study by the RAND Corporation 
found that nearly 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans had 
symptoms of PTSD or major depression.
  The study also found that many servicemembers do not seek treatment 
for psychological illnesses because they fear it will harm their 
careers. Of those who do seek help for PTSD or major depression, only 
about half receive treatment that researchers consider minimally 
adequate for their illness. If our government and the military fail to 
address problems associated with PTSD, the situation will only grow 
worse in future years.
  Tragically, the worst cases can result in a servicemember causing 
harm to themselves or others. Most recently, a United States Army 
sergeant who had done at least three tours in Iraq had been charged 
with murdering five of his fellow servicemembers at Camp Liberty in 
Baghdad. A defense official confirmed that the sergeant had been a 
patient at the stress treatment center where the shooting occurred. 
When some servicemembers suffering from PTSD or TBI are not properly 
treated, they end up self-medicating or experiencing other changes in 
behavior. This can lead to serious legal issues and a threat of 
separation from their service without benefits or treatment.
  One marine stationed at Camp Lejeune, in my district, fell victim to 
this problem and has been pending involuntary administrative separation 
due to misconduct. His fitness report shows that he was an outstanding 
marine prior to his deployments. His medical board report states, and I 
quote

[[Page H5451]]

the board, ``His service in the Marine Corps caused his PTSD and 
indirectly his incidents and legal problems. The Marine Corps' failure 
to treat him in the past and treat him appropriately has done nothing 
but worsen the problem.''
  Madam Speaker, that is not my comment. That is the comment by the 
Navy doctors at Camp Lejeune. If this marine would be administratively 
separated from service, he would have no chance of being eligible for 
TRICARE benefits. He would have difficulty attaining a job, and it is 
unlikely that a university would accept him as a student. Luckily, the 
Marine Corps has decided to give this marine another chance, and he 
will be transferred to a naval hospital for PTSD treatment.
  However, this is not an isolated problem. Many servicemembers may 
have already lost their benefits due to an administrative separation 
from the service. For this reason, I have introduced H.R. 1701, the 
PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review for Heroes Act. This legislation attacks 
this issue from two angles. First, it creates a special review board at 
the Department of Defense for servicemembers who were less than 
honorably discharged. And secondly, the bill would mandate a physical 
evaluation board prior to an administrative separation proceeding if 
the servicemember has been diagnosed with PTSD or TBI by a medical 
authority.
  Ultimately, this bill will help preserve the benefits of the 
servicemembers upon leaving service. H.R. 1701 has already been 
endorsed by the National Association for Uniformed Services, the 
National Military Family Association, the Military Officers Association 
of America, the Air Force Sergeants Association, Veterans of Foreign 
Wars, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the Marine Corps 
League.
  Madam Speaker, this is a very impressive group of American service 
people who endorse this bill, H.R. 1701. I am grateful to have 
Congressman Gene Taylor as a lead cosponsor as well as Bill Pascrell 
and Todd Platts, both cochairmen of the Congressional Brain Injury Task 
Force. I hope that many of my House colleagues will join as cosponsors 
of this important legislation for our Nation's military heroes, and I 
look forward to working with the leadership of the House Armed Services 
Committee to advance this much-needed change.
  And, Madam Speaker, before I leave, I have done this so many times 
over the past few years, I ask God to please bless our men and women in 
uniform, and ask God to please bless the families of our men and women 
in uniform, and ask God in His arms to hold the families who have given 
a child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. And I close three 
times, Madam Speaker, by asking God, please God, please God, please 
God, continue to bless America.

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