[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1379-E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRYAN BARBIN AND HIS 
          EFFORTS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARK S. CRITZ

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 20, 2010

  Mr. CRITZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hundreds-of-
thousands of U.S. service members and veterans impacted by traumatic 
brain injuries.
  Earlier this morning, Congressman Bill Pascrell and I welcomed 
Pennsylvania State Representative Bryan Barbin to the U.S. Capitol. 
Representative Barbin completed a seven-day motorcycle ride through 
seven state capitals to raise awareness of the impact of traumatic 
brain injuries, and to deliver the following resolution that was 
adopted by the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania on June 23, 2010. It reads:

       Whereas, More than 1.5 million United States military 
     personnel have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since the 
     start of military operations in 2001, and military statistics 
     show that at least 115,000 troops have suffered brain 
     injuries related to IED explosions since the Iraq and 
     Afghanistan wars began; and
       Whereas, Brain injury has been labeled a signature injury 
     of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and brain injuries 
     occurring among soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are 
     strongly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and 
     physical health problems after soldiers return home; and
       Whereas, Concern has been emerging about the possible long-
     term effects of combat-related brain injuries. Significant 
     numbers of undiagnosed injuries and the failure by medical 
     personnel to include such information in soldiers' permanent 
     medical files has been identified as serious in studies 
     prepared by medical and army experts; and
       Whereas, Without diagnosis and official documentation, 
     soldiers with head wounds have struggled to receive 
     appropriate treatment, sometimes receiving psychotropic drugs 
     instead of rehabilitative therapy that could help retrain 
     their brains; and
       Whereas, The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, 
     DVBIC, in Johnstown has been assisting returning veterans 
     with rehabilitative therapy since 2006; and
       Whereas, In January 2009, Congress mandated DVBIC to 
     establish an assisted living pilot program to determine the 
     best practices to rehabilitate soldiers with mild, moderate 
     or severe traumatic brain injuries to enable them to return 
     to their own communities, therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives designate July 
     7, 2010, as ``Combat-Related Brain Injury and Post Traumatic 
     Stress Disorder Awareness Day'' in Pennsylvania to promote 
     public understanding and encourage all citizens to help bind 
     the wounds of our returning soldiers.


[[Page E1380]]


  Madam Speaker, I would like to commend State Representative Barbin 
for his advocacy on behalf of this important cause.

                          ____________________