Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Ms. TITUS. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of this amendment, of which I am a proud cosponsor.
As a Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I regularly speak with both VA medical professionals and patients about advances in care for our nation's heroes.

The limited research that has been allowed to be conducted has shown very promising results on the use of medical marijuana for the treatment of conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Nearly 1 of 5 veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is diagnosed with PTSD and we have seen a skyrocketing rate of overuse and addiction of powerful painkillers being used to treat such illnesses.

Giving medical professionals additional tools to treat these serious ailments is not just commonsense, it is the right thing to do.

Often times we hear elected officials come to the well of the House and speak about their commitment to our servicemembers and veterans. Today we have an opportunity to do more than offer platitudes, we can offer relief: relief from the pain and suffering associated with PTSD; relief from a medical system with little to offer as alternative treatments to powerful and addictive painkillers; relief from the fear of being penalized for using medical marijuana prescribed by a private doctor; and relief to VA medical professionals in the 36 states, including Nevada and Washington D.C. where medical marijuana is legal, allowing them to utilize their medical judgement to determine the best treatment options for their patients.

Forcing the 225,000 veterans who call Nevada home and millions across the country to go outside the VA health system to seek treatment, without the supervision and guidance of the medical professionals who understand the specific needs of our veteran community, is irresponsible.

I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan amendment and stand up for our brave men and women who bear the scars of war and who so desperately need our support.

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