[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 161 (Thursday, September 17, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H4495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SUPPORTING HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR VETERANS

  (Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring 
importance to a treatment issue that faces our Nation's veterans 
suffering from traumatic brain injury, TBI, and post-traumatic stress 
disorder, PTSD.
  In line with National Suicide Prevention Month, I am introducing the 
Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act today. This bill 
will help so many of our veterans who are suffering from TBI and PTSD 
by creating a pilot program, increasing their access to hyperbaric 
oxygen therapy, HBOT. There are presently many treatments for PTSD and 
TBI, but they do not work for everyone.
  As a physician for over 30 years, I have long been a strong advocate 
for HBOT, since I was in the North Carolina legislature. This type of 
treatment has restored the lives of so many of our veterans when all 
else failed. But the Department of Veterans Affairs has refused to use 
this treatment despite many requests by Members of Congress.
  This is a bipartisan issue. It is time for Congress to authorize this 
treatment option by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Charitable 
organizations--donations, not taxpayer funds--will pay for this 
program. My pilot program should show how efficacious this treatment 
truly is.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, as we owe our 
veterans and their families this treatment option for those who have 
lost all hope to help their lives return to some sense of normalcy.

                          ____________________