Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027

Floor Speech

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Mr. CORREA. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my and General Jack Bergman's amendment No. 10 to restore funding for medical and prosthetic research at the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is being cut in this bill by $45 million.

As all of you know, 3 weeks ago President Trump signed an executive order to expedite psychedelic therapies research for depression and substance abuse disorder specifically for veterans.

The President's executive order also called for $50 million in matching funds for research as well in this area. As all of you know, Texas is also leading the way by also having allocated recently $50 million for psychedelic research.

Sadly, again, this bill cuts $45 million in funding from last year's funding level and is even $22 million less than what President Trump has requested this year.

I am grateful for General Jack Bergman for supporting me and working with me on this amendment.

Mr. Chair, this amendment is basically about taking care of those who have answered the call of duty to defend our country, those individuals who come back from combat with invisible wounds that still have not healed.

On a daily basis, 20 to 40 veterans take their lives, commit suicide, because of PTSD. As all of you may not know, psilocybin and other psychedelic treatments actually work and do cure veterans.

Last week, when I was back home, I heard a story. Two Orange firefighters took their own lives--two Orange County firefighters in their thirties, who were veterans, one of whom was waiting to receive psychedelic treatment in Mexico because it is not available in the United States.

Many veterans have taken this treatment and have essentially been cured of PTSD.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment. This is about treating our veterans, their invisible wounds, and making sure we reduce that 20 to 40 suicides that we have per day in this country of veterans who are suffering from those wounds that they brought back from the battlefield.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and to restore funding for critical medical research for our Nation's heroes.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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