[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 7062-7063]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 ASSISTANCE TO THOSE INJURED IN COMBAT

  (Mr. HODES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1

[[Page 7063]]

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HODES. Madam Speaker, we have entered the fifth year of the war 
in Iraq, and thousands of soldiers have returned home wounded and in 
need of serious medical care. The situation at Walter Reed made it 
clear that changes must be made to ensure that our wounded troops 
receive timely comprehensive care that extends through the length of 
their condition.
  To provide these crucial services, more is needed for defense health 
care than the President requested. The status quo is simply not 
acceptable for our troops who are injured while serving our country. We 
owe them our real support.
  The emergency supplemental proposed by this Democratic Congress 
nearly doubles the amount of funding requested by the President for 
military health care. These additional funds will enhance medical 
services for active duty forces, mobilized personnel and their 
families, including: post-traumatic stress disorder counseling, 
traumatic brain injury care and burn treatment.
  The funds will also help prevent health care fee increases for troops 
and address the problems found at Walter Reed.
  Madam Speaker, passage of this bill supports our troops and will 
ensure that they receive the quality care they deserve.

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