Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the Private First Class Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act. I want to thank my colleague, Representative Zeldin, for his good work and his efforts on behalf of veterans who serve our country with great honor. Roughly 15 million adults in the United States suffer from post- traumatic stress disorder, otherwise known as PTSD. The Department of Veterans Affairs indicates that between 15 and 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have had post-traumatic stress disorder in their lifetime; about 12 percent of Desert Storm veterans have had post-traumatic stress disorder; and between 11 and 20 percent of those who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom now also, sadly, have been subject to post-traumatic stress disorder in a given year. These statistics are staggering, and, sadly, because of PTSD, many veterans have taken their lives. Our servicemen and -women sacrifice so much to protect our freedom, and we must do all we can to help them recover and prevent these tragic losses. In 2013 the State of New York, under the leadership of Representative Zeldin and others, established the Dwyer program to support veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, otherwise referred to as TBI, by connecting veterans with other veterans who suffer through similar struggles.…”