The U.S. Senate has passed the “Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act,” including many provisions of the bipartisan “Heroes at Home Act” that Senator Collins coauthored with Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). This is comprehensive legislation that addresses many of the issues and deficiencies that were recently uncovered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This bill would also correct many of the problems that our service members encounter when transitioning from the Department of Defense medical system to care under the Veterans’ Administration.
Among the provisions coauthored by Senator Collins is legislation to to improve the detection, assessment, and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) among wounded service members and to expand support for the victims of TBI and their families.
“I believe that this legislation contains the reforms that are going to make a real difference in ensuring high-quality, consistent medical care for those who have given so much,” said Senator Collins. “Traumatic brain injury has emerged as the signature injury of the Iraq War. Our legislation will address problems resulting from the missed diagnosis, or the failure to diagnose, TBI. It will improve the screening process that our troops go through before deployment to improve TBI diagnosis after deployment. Our service members have sacrificed so much and they deserve nothing less than the highest quality health care.”
In addition, the legislation also includes a provision authored by Senator Collins that would require the Department of Defense to study the relationship between TBI and Alzheimer’s disease.
The “Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act” was accepted as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill currently being considered by the U.S. Senate.
###