Sheila Jackson Lee: “Reclaiming my time, I applaud the compassion that the chairman and the ranking member have had in the writing of this…”

“Reclaiming my time, I applaud the compassion that the chairman and the ranking member have had in the writing of this legislation, highlighting several very important points needed for our servicemen and -women, and I am grateful for the support of the additional resources, continuing the advocacy for them. In closing, let me thank this Congress for the wounded warrior that I have in my office. He is someone who suffers from PTSD. He has been an excellent staff person in reaching out to the veterans throughout my community. He is an example of the fact that, when you have treatment, you can be part of contributing to society, as they all want to be, even with some of the challenges they have. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives to keep our nation safe. Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment, which is virtually identical to an amendment that I offered and was adopted in last year's Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 2685). My amendment increases funding for the PTSD by $1,000,000. These funds should be used toward outreach activities targeting hard to reach veterans, especially those who are homeless or reside in underserved urban and rural areas, who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mr.…”