[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 23, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4469-H4473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NO HERO LEFT UNTREATED ACT
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1162) to direct the Secretary
[[Page H4470]]
of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide access to
magnetic EEG/EKG-guided resonance therapy to veterans.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1162
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``No Hero Left Untreated
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Magnetic EEG/EKG-guided resonance therapy has
successfully treated more than 400 veterans with post-
traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military
sexual trauma, chronic pain, and opiate addiction.
(2) Recent clinical trials and randomized, placebo-
controlled, double-blind studies have produced promising
measurable outcomes in the evolution of magnetic EEG/EKG-
guided resonance therapy.
(3) The outcomes described in paragraph (2) have resulted
in escalating demand from returning members of the Armed
Forces and veterans who are seeking access to magnetic EEG/
EKG-guided resonance therapy.
(4) Congress recognizes the importance of initiating
innovative pilot programs that demonstrate the use and
effectiveness of new treatment options for post-traumatic
stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual
trauma, chronic pain, and opiate addiction.
SEC. 3. MAGNETIC EEG/EKG-GUIDED RESONANCE THERAPY PILOT
PROGRAM.
(a) Pilot Program.--Commencing not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to provide
access to magnetic EEG/EKG-guided resonance therapy to treat
veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder,
traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, chronic pain,
or opiate addiction.
(b) Locations.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot
program under subsection (a) at not more than two facilities
of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) Participants.--In carrying out the pilot program under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide access to
magnetic EEG/EKG-guided resonance therapy to not more than 50
veterans.
(d) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot
program under subsection (a) for a one-year period.
(e) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the termination
of the pilot program under subsection (d), the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report on the pilot program.
(f) No Authorization of Appropriations.--No additional
amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the
requirements of this section. Such requirements shall be
carried out using amounts authorized under provisions of law
other than this section.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1162, a bill to expand
the use of EEG/EKG-guided magnetic resonance therapy to treat veterans
with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, chronic
pain, and opiate addiction at VA medical centers.
A 2016 VA report found that mental health conditions and substance
abuse among veterans is alarmingly high and steadily on the rise, up
from 27 percent in 2001 to over 40 percent in 2014. Perhaps even more
alarming, the same report showed that VA has increased its use of
prescription opioids by 259 percent over the same period to treat these
invisible wounds.
Magnetic resonance therapy, or MRT, is an emerging technology that
has been used to treat over 400 veterans with symptoms of their mental
conditions. MRT uses quantitative electroencephalogram,
electrocardiogram technology to target the affected areas of the brain
and apply repetitive magnetic stimulation to return normal function to
those areas.
MRT has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat
depression, and a 2015 study found that veterans who underwent 2 weeks
of treatment for PTSD reported an average of 47.4 percent reduction in
symptom severity. After 4 weeks of treatment, veteran participants saw
a 64 percent reduction in symptom severity on average. The same study
showed zero reports of worsening symptoms or adverse effects from the
treatment.
H.R. 1162 would create a 1-year pilot at two VA facilities during
which 50 veterans would be provided MRT treatment for PTSD, traumatic
brain injury, military sexual trauma, chronic pain, and opioid
addiction.
{time} 1530
Ninety days after the end of the pilot, the Secretary of the VA would
issue a report to Congress on the efficacy of the pilot.
Mr. Speaker, with such promising results from preliminary tests of
MRT technology, I believe that we must act quickly to make this
emerging technology available to more veterans suffering from the
invisible wounds of war.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Knight), my
good friend and fellow Army veteran, for sponsoring this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting
H.R. 1162, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1162. With all of the things
that you heard the chairman talk about and substance abuse disorder on
the rise, the VA should continue to explore the benefits of alternative
treatments and how best to provide care to our veterans.
Medical providers must think outside of the box and find effective
ways to treat the symptoms a veteran is experiencing, and do so in a
way that does not compromise a veteran's health, relationships, and
progress towards a successful transition home.
Mr. Speaker, for this reason, I would ask my colleagues to support
this important piece of legislation and start moving in a direction
that serves our veterans with the best treatment for them.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Knight), the sponsor of this bill.
Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member
for their leadership on all veteran issues.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1162, the No Hero Left
Untreated Act. I rise today to stand with our Nation's veterans for
whom the trauma from the battlefield does not always appear. Whether it
is PTS, TBI, MST, chronic pain, or opioid drugs addiction, the pilot
program established by this bill would provide an innovative
individualized treatment for all-too-common diagnoses that our veterans
face today.
Using a suite of FDA-approved medical tools, the magnetic EEG/EKG-
guided resonance therapy, or MeRT, is a nonpharmaceutical and
noninvasive procedure that has already shown great promise. This bill
requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the pilot
program, treat 50 veterans using MeRT at two different VA locations,
and then come back with a report at the end of that.
Already at the Brain Treatment Center in California, 98 percent of
veterans in recent trials have experienced at least a 10-point change
in their military PTSD checklist, or PCL-M, which ranges from 17 to 80.
The Active-Duty military has already begun clinical trials using the
MeRT procedure at Tinker Air Force Base, concluding that ``transcranial
MeRT is a promising adjuvant treatment modality to help veterans
suffering from PTSD.'' In fact, after 4 weeks of active treatment, MeRT
reduced the average PCL-M score from 66 to 37.
U.S. Special Operations Command has also funded their own trials
using the Brain Treatment Center's treatment modality and is conducting
research at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida and Naval Special Warfare
Command in my home State of California.
[[Page H4471]]
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support for H.R. 1162
from AMVETS, the Veterans Health Council, the Association of the United
States Navy, Veterans Advantage, The Patriot Project, Lines for Life,
the National Foundation for Women Legislators, the PsychArmor
Institute, STEADFAST Leadership, and the WestCare Foundation.
AMVETS,
Lanham, MD, April 5, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: AMVETS (American Veterans) is
pleased to support your bill, H.R. 1162, the No Hero Left
Untreated Act, which seeks to establish a pilot program for
two Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers to
treat fifty veterans using magnetic EEG/EKG-guided resonance
therapy.
Magnetic EEG/EKG-guided resonance therapy has successfully
treated more than 400 veterans with post-traumatic stress
disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma,
chronic pain, and opiate addiction. This small pilot would be
instructive to VA in understanding the benefits and deciding
whether to offer this promising therapy to those receiving VA
health care.
If it were fully understood how to treat these nuanced
disorders and health issues, VA would already be doing so--
and suffice it to say--the veteran suicide rate would most
assuredly be lower than it is now. It is imperative that we,
as a nation, look at new ways to help those who have stood up
and walked the walk, and suffer the consequences day after
day.
AMVETS is in full support of this measure and appreciates
your leadership in introducing this important legislation and
in striving to improve the lives of all veterans.
Sincerely,
Joseph R. Chenelly,
Executive Director.
____
Veterans Health Council,
Silver Spring, MD, February 21, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: I am writing in support of the
H.R. No Heroes Left Untreated Act. This important piece of
legislation will bring to America's Veterans a significant
contribution toward health solutions for Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),
Military Sexual Trauma (MST), chronic pain and opiate drug
addiction through MeRT (Magnetic EEG/EKG-guided Resonance
Therapy).
As of early 2015, the effects of collective failure to
adequately address the emotional and physical effects of
combat; particularly Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), mild
Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI), and PTSD have left the
Veteran community paying a disproportionate toll for their
service to the Nation. Current treatment modalities clearly
have limited utility. The urgency of understanding and
responding to this national issue becomes more obvious, when
one sees the growing scope, impact and prevalence of PTSD,
both in Veteran suicides and in related societal indicators.
While some may view this as a societal cost that cannot be
averted, that is not the view of the doctors at the Newport
Brain Research Lab/Brain Treatment Center (NBRL/BTC). MeRT
brings a novel neuromodulation approach achieving
unprecedented success rates in both open-label trial and
randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies. To
date, over 98% of Veteran PTSD/TBI patients have responded
positively averaging a 61% reduction in symptom severity as
measured by the PCL-M (PTSD Check List--Military) and
demonstrated by measurable EEG/EKG changes.
We applaud your continued interest in exploring effective,
science-based and proven medical technologies to help our
Veterans. Like you, we believe it is our obligation and duty
to ensure Veterans receive the treatment they need to have
their lives and livelihoods restored.
Sincerely,
Thomas J. Berger, Ph.D.,
Executive Director.
____
Association of the
United States Navy,
Alexandria, VA, March 21, 2017.
Hon. Stephen Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
On behalf of the Association of the United States Navy, we
would like to pledge our support for H.R. 1162, the No Hero
Left Untreated Act. This bill directs the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide
access to magnetic EEG/EKG guided resonance therapy to
veterans.
Magnetic EEG/EKG guided resonance therapy has successfully
treated more than 400 veterans with post-traumatic stress
disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma,
chronic pain, and opiate addiction. Recent clinical trials
and randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind studies have
produced promising measurable outcomes in the evolution of
this type of therapy.
The pilot program, as laid out in the bill, will allow the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide access to magnetic
EEG/EKG guided resonance therapy to treat suffering veterans.
The program will be located at no more than two facilities
and test no more than fifty veterans. The program will be
carried out for one year, and no more than 90 days after the
termination of the program, the Secretary will submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House a
report on the pilot program.
Thank you for taking an active role in such an important
issue to the Military and Veteran community by working to
improve the lives and careers of those who served our great
nation. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or
concern.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Little,
Director of Legislative Affairs.
____
Veterans Advantage,
Greenwich, CT, February 17, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: On behalf of Veterans Advantage,
PBC, the leading private-sector benefit company that
advocates for greater respect, recognition and rewards for
U.S. military, veterans and their family members, I am
writing in support of the No Hero Left Untreated Act, HR1162.
I am a Vietnam Veteran who has first-hand experience with
the effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post
Traumatic Stress (PTS). My son, who has sustained multiple
concussions and suffers from PTS, has undergone treatment at
the Brain Treatment Center (BTC) over the last year and
continues to do so. As a result of this treatment, we have
seen significant progress in addressing the symptoms
associated with his condition, in particular his depression
and anxiety have lessened. No other therapies have any effect
on his condition. He has made steady progress and is now on
the road to restoring his health.
The current state of treatment for TBI, mild Traumatic
Brain Injury (mTBI), and PTS, is woefully inadequate. While
hundreds of thousands of servicemembers suffer from these
conditions when they return from war zones and multiple tours
while serving our nation, there is a systemic failure to
address the emotional and physical effects of combat. This is
a national crisis and one we must address immediately.
The legislation you are advocating is a significant step to
provide the treatment our servicemen and women so desperately
need and deserve. I have reviewed the double blind studies
with Dr. Jin and the staff of the BTC. The use of Magnetic
EEG/EKG-guided Resonance Therapy (MeRT, a non-invasive
treatment) under the direction of the BTC has achieved
unprecedented success rates in in both open-label trials and
randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies. To
date, over 98% of veteran PTSD/TBI patients have responded
positively to this treatment option--averaging a 61%
reduction in symptom severity as measured by the PTSD Check
List--Military (PCL-M) and demonstrated by measurable EEG/EKG
changes.
Thank you for your initiative in sponsoring this important
legislation and your support of America's heroes through the
No Hero Left Behind Act.
Respectfully yours,
H. Scott Higgins,
Vietnam War Veteran,
CEO/Veterans Advantage, PBC.
____
The Patriot Project,
March 2, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: On behalf of the Patriot Project,
a grassroots movement to provide Military Service Members,
Families, Gold Star Dependents and Wounded Warriors with
vital Chiropractic care to which they have little access,
despite its inclusion in Veteran benefits; I am writing in
support of H.R. 1162, the No Hero Left Untreated Act. This
important piece of legislation offers America's Veterans a
timely non-drug health solution for Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military
Sexual Trauma (MST), chronic pain, and opiate drug addiction
through Magnetic EEG/EKG-guided Resonance Therapy technology
(MeRT technology).
Consisting of over 5000 Chiropractors, nationwide, the
Patriot Project has witnessed the invisible and visible life-
altering injuries of war these Veterans suffer, with little
access to solutions except for drugs, and surgeries. The
Patriot Project Board, made up of more than half a dozen
Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients, has taken on the
challenge of restoring hope to our returning warriors by
pursuing non-drug interventions with vigor.
As tens of thousands of Veterans return home each year,
they encounter a systemic failure to adequately address the
emotional and physical effects of combat. Current treatments
for PTSD, TBI and even mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI)
have limited utility to sufficiently heal our Veterans. The
urgency of understanding and responding to this national
crisis becomes even more compelling when one sees the growing
scope, impact and prevalence of PTSD particularly in Veteran
suicide rates. The doctors at the Newport Brain Research Lab/
Brain Treatment Center (NBRL/BTC), believe it is their
obligation and duty to ensure Veterans receive the treatment
they need to have their lives and livelihoods restored.
H.R. 1162 is a significant step forward in providing
Veterans with the treatment they
[[Page H4472]]
desperately need and clearly deserve. MeRT technology brings
a novel neuromodulation approach, achieving unprecedented
success rates in both open-label trials and randomized,
placebo-controlled, double-blind studies with over 98% of
Veteran PTSD/TBI patients responding positively to this
treatment option. Without investment in such innovative
treatment, our nation's Veterans will continue to pay a
disproportionate toll for their service.
We applaud Congressman Knight and his attentive staff for
their commitment to explore effective, science-based, and
proven medical technologies and their unwavering support to
helping America's heroes.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carol Ann Malizia,
CAM Integrative Consulting, Patriot
Project Board Member.
____
Lines for Life,
March 9, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: Thank you for your ongoing efforts
to support our veterans, particularly through HR 1162, the No
Hero Left Untreated Act. Lines for Life supports this
important piece of legislation that will expand promising
neurological treatment for veterans coping with post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury
(TBI), military sexual trauma, chronic pain, and opiate
addiction.
Lines for Life operates a regional Military Helpline that
offers free, anonymous help to active-duty service members,
veterans, and their families. We also serve as the sole
backup center for the Department of Veterans Affairs'
Veterans Crisis Line. In 2016, we received over 31,500
military-related calls from individuals who are struggling to
cope with mental health issues including anger, substance
abuse, post-traumatic stress, and thoughts of suicide.
Veterans comprise 9% of the United States population, but
account for 18% of suicides. Our nation's inadequate
attention to the emotional and physical effects of combat,
particularly TBI and PTSD, have left our veteran community
paying a disproportionate toll for their service. Treatment
methods to date have had limited utility. We must respond to
the growing scope, impact, and prevalence of PTSD by
enhancing our understanding and response to this critical
issue.
We applaud your continued interest in exploring effective,
science-based, and proven medical technologies to help our
veterans. We believe it is our obligation and duty to ensure
veterans receive the treatment they need to have their lives
and livelihoods restored.
Sincerely,
Dwight Holton,
Executive Director.
____
National Foundation for
Women Legislators,
March 6, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC
Dear Congressman Knight: We are writing in support of HR
1162 the No Hero Left Untreated Act, for which your efforts
should be highly commended on behalf of Veterans. This
important piece of legislation will bring America's Veterans
a significant contribution to their health solutions for
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), chronic pain and opiate
drug addiction through MeRT (Magnetic EEG/EKG-guided
Resonance Therapy).
As of early 2015, the effects of our nation's collective
failure to adequately address the emotional and physical
effects of combat, particularly Traumatic Brain Injuries
(TBI), mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI), and PTSD have
left our Veteran community paying a disproportionate toll for
their service to the Nation. Treatment modalities to date,
clearly, have had limited utility. The urgency of
understanding and responding to this national issue becomes
more obvious when one sees the growing scope, impact, and
prevalence of PTSD, evident both in Veteran suicides and
related societal indicators. While some may view this as a
societal cost that cannot be averted, that is not our view.
We applaud your continued interest in exploring effective,
science-based and proven medical technologies to help our
Veterans. Like you, we believe it is our obligation and duty
to ensure Veterans receive the treatment they need to have
their lives and livelihoods restored.
Sincerely,
Minnesota State Senator Carrie Ruud,
2017 NFWL Chair, On behalf of the Board of Directors of the
National Foundation for Women Legislators.
____
Psycharmor Institute,
March 8, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: I am writing in support of HR 1162
the No Hero Left Untreated Act, for which your efforts should
be highly commended on behalf of Veterans. This important
piece of legislation will allow for a neurological treatment
option for Veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military
Sexual Trauma (MST), chronic pain and opiate drug addiction.
This non-pharmaceutical and non-invasive treatment has
helped hundreds of Veterans and their families who are
supporting and caring for these Veterans. There is no one
treatment for every individual, and it is important to give
Veterans options so that they have the power to choose which
treatment is best for them and their situation. Veterans have
sacrificed so much for our nation; it is our obligation to
provide for them and their families.
We applaud your continued interest in exploring effective,
science-based and proven medical technologies to help our
Veterans. Like you, we believe it is our obligation and duty
to ensure Veterans receive the treatment they need to have
their lives and livelihoods restored.
Sincerely,
Marjorie Morrison,
PsychArmor Institute, CEO & Founder.
____
February 17, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: Recent elections have focused us,
once again, on the ``here and now.'' And rightly so. With the
elections behind us, we have a shared sense of relief. But
for combat veterans, the ``here and now'' is also often
defined by ``there and then.'' They carry courage into
battle, serve with honor and come home--often finding they
need new courage to confront a new foe. Veterans who confront
post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and related
symptoms also deserve relief--and this Veterans' Day,
Congress is poised to give it to them.
Truth can be compelling when it meets you up close and
personal. You know that for many Veterans, there is new truth
afoot, and it is compelling--and hopeful. In recent years,
the specialized, little-publicized brain treatment program
for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) known as Magnetic
EEG/EKG-guided Resonance Therapy (MeRT technology) has
emerged. The unique treatment, much studied and now widely
corroborated, is powerful. It changes lives.
Just as the election was an inflection point, you have
recognized that Congress is in a position to change lives in
America for the better. If Congress can move beyond words and
intentions, beyond political jousting, America's veterans
will be forever grateful--and lives will be saved by the
thousands, and you are doing just that.
The chance to give life back to those on the edge, who
wrestle daily with PTSD and related life-stresses and opiate
addiction, is at our finger-tips. The Washington Post and
veteran publications have aptly described it, and time is now
for action. I cannot say this with more conviction: We must
act to save the precious lives, and every one at risk is
precious. We lose more than 20 young men and women daily to
PTSD, and we can stop this in a single congressional vote for
your bill.
The No Hero Left Untreated Act H.R. 1162 can help to change
everything. Through pilot programs administered by the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), veterans will turn a
critical corner. It will help to restore their mental health,
saving countless lives and those touched by those lives.
Without this act, our veterans will continue to languish
without access to this help. Seeing you, in a first post-
election act bringing fifty Members together to unify around
what matters, can only be applauded. Politics aside, Congress
acting now to pass H.R. 1162 and a Senate companion bill
following immediately will begin immediately saving the
veterans most at risk. As your action clearly demonstrates,
there can no longer be any excuse.
As first reported by the Washington Post, this is an
inflection point--a show stopper, a real chance for
meaningful change. Tested through double-blind studies, 98
percent of MeRT-treated veterans experienced at least a 10-
point improvement in their PTSD Check List-Military (PCL-M)
score, and saw significant reduction in symptom severity,
after only 4 weeks of treatment. These results have been
mirrored in additional open label trials as well. Nothing
else I know of has come close to this success rate.
Congressman Knight, all this brings me to today and my
offering of my support for your efforts on behalf of my
brothers and sisters who have so ably served. I thank you for
making their futures your first priority in the 115th
Congress.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Halstead,
Brigadier General Retired, (USA retired).
____
WestCare Foundation,
February 22, 2017.
Hon. Steve Knight,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Knight: The purpose of this letter is to
show full support from WestCare Foundation, Inc, for H.R.
1162, the No Hero Left Untreated Act. This progressive piece
of legislation brings a critical health solution for Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), chronic pain, and opiate
drug addiction to our nation's Veterans through Magnetic EEG/
EKG-guided Resonance Therapy (MeRT technology).
The doctors of the Newport Brain Research Lab/Brain
Treatment Center (NBRL/BTC) have introduced a game-changer
addressing
[[Page H4473]]
seemingly intractable behavioral health conditions through
their development of MeRT technology. The data from both open
label and double-blind studies of MeRT technology are
compelling. This protocol, offered as a first line treatment
of the physical brain through neuromodulation, can improve
the behavioral health outcomes for all of us who subsequently
provide evidence-based therapies that will further benefit
Veteran patients and clients as, together, we create a more
effective comprehensive continuum of care.
As a Veteran of the Vietnam War, myself, I am especially
interested in seeing the VA bring this work into their
practice of medicine. For over forty years later, we continue
to see the negative life impact of war on our men and women
who served without the advent of practice and protocols
sufficient for their full recovery. MeRT technology is
producing results that are saving lives and increasing the
potential for follow-on therapies to change the future
trajectory of the lives of our Veterans and their families as
well.
We owe our warriors the very best treatment available in
America. MeRT technology is clearly making a difference. I
commend you for offering this important legislation and urge
its passage as soon as possible! Every day without it can be
measured in loss of life, in loss of positive contribution to
our communities from our American heroes, and in loss of our
fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, friends and
neighbors.
Sincerely,
Richard Steinberg,
President/CEO.
Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. Speaker, in a time when the Defense Department
maintains technological superiority over our adversaries in combat, our
Veterans Affairs Department must continue to push the technological
limit to treating our selfless servicemembers once their duty is done.
I am optimistic that this pilot program for our veteran population
will be the first of many that improves our ability to heal wounded
veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I will leave my colleagues with one last quote. As the
AMVETS' executive director stated in his letter of support for this
bill: ``It is imperative that we, as a nation, look at new ways to help
those who have stood up and walked the walk, and suffer the
consequences day after day.''
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Knight) for his innovative approach in trying to get services to our
veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join us in passing H.R.
1162.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I, too, encourage all Members to
support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1162.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________