[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 107 (Wednesday, July 24, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2014

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                               speech of

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 23, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2397) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2014, and for other purposes:

  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Chair, it has been over 10 years since the start 
of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is extremely important that 
we continue to focus on addressing traumatic brain injury, TBI, and 
psychological health, PH, issues. Congress must properly allocate funds 
to care for wounded warriors and to improve research in these critical 
areas.
  As you know, TBI continues to be the signature wound of the wars in 
Iraq and Afghanistan with some 100,000 troops diagnosed since 2003 with 
mild TBI. This number will only increase as detection becomes more 
accurate. The Department of Defense has made significant strides in 
improving assessment and diagnosis, but more needs to be done to 
evaluate troops' ability to return to duty and to follow them after 
exposure to blasts. Intensive and innovative rehabilitative care is 
also needed for those sustaining severe TBIs and left with varying 
levels of disorders of consciousness.
  This year's Defense Health Program receives an increase above last 
year's level. Specifically, the bill contains $33.6 billion--$858 
million above the fiscal year 2013 enacted level--for the Defense 
Health Program to provide for the health of our troops and retirees. 
Increases above the request importantly include $125 million for 
traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, and $20 
million for suicide prevention outreach programs.
  Our men and women serving in uniform must be given every possible 
opportunity for the best medical care, rehabilitation and community 
reentry assistance that we as a nation can provide. It is important 
these funds be used wisely to ensure that our men and women in uniform 
are getting timely and proper care. Pre and post deployment testing, as 
well as long term care and family services are integral parts of 
preventing and treating TBI and PH. As a Congress, we must live up to 
our commitment to our troops when they leave the battlefield and in my 
capacity as co-Chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, I 
look forward to working with the DoD to make sure these funds are used 
effectively to address these invisible wounds.

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