Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentlewoman from Oklahoma for yielding, and I thank the chairman of the full committee, Chairman Smith, for…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from Oklahoma for yielding, and I thank the chairman of the full committee, Chairman Smith, for his important leadership, collaboration, and cooperation with me on these amendments. I also thank my colleague from Texas, Ranking Member Thornberry, for his support and work on these amendments and on the work of the NDAA. I thank them both for their important work on behalf of the men and women of the United States military. {time} 2000 The Jackson Lee amendment No. 203 directs the Secretary of Defense to promulgate regulations to ensure that candidates granted admission to attend a military academy undergo screening for speech disorders and be provided the results of the screening test and a list of warfare unrestricted line officer positions and occupation specialists that require successful performance on the speech test. Academy students shall have the option of undergoing speech therapy to reduce speech disorders or impediments. Specifically, this amendment is intended to help military academy candidates who have stuttering-related speech disorders. Madam Chair, 5 to 10 percent of all children stutter. Boys are two to three times more likely to stutter than girls. Approximately 75 percent of children recover from stuttering, but the remaining 25 percent will experience lifelong effects.…”