Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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By Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself and Mr. BEGICH):

S. 957. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code to improve the provision of rehabilitative services for veterans with traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, traumatic brain injury, TBI, is becoming an increasingly common injury on the modern battlefield. Thankfully, because of advances in medicine, service-members who would not have been expected to survive catastrophic attacks in previous conflicts are returning home today from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan with unprecedented severe and complex injuries. Since 2001, over 1,500 service members have suffered from a severe TBI, many of whom require rehabilitative programs ranging from total care for the most basic needs to semi-independent living support. A restrictive approach to rehabilitation puts these wounded warriors at risk of losing any progress they made towards recovery. For this reason, my colleague, Senator MARK BEGICH of Alaska, and I are introducing the Veterans' Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitative Services' Improvements Act of 2011. I would also like to thank my House colleagues, Rep. TIM WALZ of Minnesota and Rep. GUS BILIRAKIS of Florida, for their support and leadership on the House companion version of this legislation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record.

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