Political Quotes

“I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy. This is such a well-oiled machine, the subcommittee galloping ahead, and I apologize that I turned my head. I think it is worthy to go back and deal with this amendment offered on behalf of my colleague, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and myself. Today, America stands on the precipice of discovery when it comes to understanding how the human brain operates. These discoveries have huge implications for taxpayers--who cumulatively spend over a half trillion dollars a year on treatments for brain-related issues--and for some of the most pressing medical challenges we face. Scientific breakthroughs in neuroscience research have led to a higher quality of life for the 50 million Americans who are affected by neurological illnesses every year. Two of the most pressing examples of how outside trauma and events can drastically alter the structure and function of our brain are under the purview of this subcommittee: posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. These injuries can often be hidden from the naked eye. Almost one in five soldiers in the previous decade suffered a traumatic brain injury, and 15 percent of veterans are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. That represents hundreds of thousands of cases of cognitive and physical impairment due to TBI and PTSD that impact the lives and the loved ones of our servicemen and -women.…”