Date: 2014-06-18
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. as I said earlier. I dont know if you heard. I thanked you for your caring response. along with the ranking member. putting together a bill that really recognizes service to our veterans. With that. let me conclude and ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment. I indicate that Mr. CONYERS of Michigan joins me in this amendment. I thank you. and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Chair. I want to thank Chairman FRELINGHUYSEN and Ranking Member VisCLOSKY for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives to keep our nation safe. Mr. Chair. thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment. which is virtually identical to an amendment that I offered and was adopted in last years Defense Appropriations Act . My amendment increases funding for the PTSD by $500.000. These funds should be used toward outreach activities targeting hard to reach veterans. especially those who are homeless or reside in underserved urban and rural areas. who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mr. Chair. along with traumatic brain injury. PTSD is the signature wound suffered by the brave men and women fighting in Afghanistan. Iraq. and far off lands to defend the values and freedom we hold dear. For those of us whose daily existence is not lived in harms way. it is difficult to imagine the horrific images that American servicemen and women deployed in Iraq. Afghanistan. and other theaters of war see on a daily basis. In an instant a suicide bomber. an lED. or an insurgent can obliterate your best friend and right in front of your face. Yet. you are trained and expected to continue on with the mission. and you do. even though you may not even have reached your 20th birthday. But there always comes a reckoning. And it usually comes after the stress and trauma of battle is over and you are alone with your thoughts and memories. And the horror of those desperate and dangerous encounters with the enemy and your own mortality come flooding back. PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war veterans. but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents. such as torture. being kidnapped or held captive. bombings. or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes. People with PTSD may startle easily. become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close). lose interest in things they used to enjoy. have trouble feeling affectionate. be irritable. become more aggressive. or even become violent. They avoid situations that remind them of the original incident. and anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult. Most people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again. Mr. Chair. the fact of the matter is that most veterans with PTSD also have other psychiatric disorders. which are a consequence of PTSD. These veterans have cooccurring disorders. which include depression. alcohol and/ or drug abuse problems. panic. and/or other anxiety disorders. My amendment recognizes that these soldiers are first and foremost. human. They carry their experiences with them. Ask a veteran of Vietnam. Iraq. or Afghanistan about the frequency of nightmares they experience. and one will realize that serving in the Armed Forces leaves a lasting impression. whether good or bad. My amendment will help ensure that "no soldier is left behind" by addressing the urgent need for more outreach toward hard to reach veterans suffering from PTSD. especially those who are homeless or reside in underserved urban and rural areas of our country. I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee Amendment.