Richard Blumenthal: “this amendment builds on the reserve fund in section 307 to provide for better medical research into the issues…”

“this amendment builds on the reserve fund in section 307 to provide for better medical research into the issues affecting women in our military, most particularly women who become veterans, which is a neglected aspect of health care in our Veterans Affairs health care system. It focuses on military sexual trauma, which is continuing to be a scourge in the military, and its effects. But it also deals more generally with the need for research into post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, which is unfortunately lagging in our Veterans Affairs system, as determined as our VA is to do more of it. It would also build on existing programs for job training and vocational rehabilitation so our veterans entering the job market and seeking to become productive in well-paying jobs will be able to fulfill that ambition. It essentially fills in some of the gaps left by the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act which this body passed not long ago, to meet the emergency as well as the sustained needs of our veterans that are unfulfilled by our present VA. It is our obligation to do better for our Nation's heroes, keep faith with them and leave no veteran behind when it comes to jobs and health care. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.”