National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I thank the chairman and ranking member of this committee.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Thompson-Berkley amendment, which is nearly identical to H.R. 1832, the bipartisan Servicemembers' Telemedicine and E-Health Portability Act, or STEP Act. This amendment will bring essential reforms to how our servicemembers and veterans access care, and will bring commonsense, no-cost changes to how the Department of Defense administers health care.

Currently, the Department of Defense has a limited ability to allow its health care professionals to provide care when a patient is in a different State. The Department of Defense's hands are also tied when it comes to civilians or contractors who have stepped up to fill shortages in desperately needed positions, especially mental health.

As a result, many in the military are required to travel long distances in order to access care. This can add undue stress and financial burdens to the everyday lives of our service men and women. Too often these circumstances contribute to those going without who need help the most and, in some cases, contribute to their falling through the cracks.

By removing location requirements, this amendment will allow the Department of Defense qualified and credentialed health care professionals, including contractors and civilians, to get to their core mission of helping their compatriots in need.

This will allow our National Guard, Reserves, veterans, and retirees quicker and more efficient access to care, and will open the door to allow for the modernization of Department of Defense health care delivery.

This amendment will allow for new technologies in telephone and Internet communications to expand into the Department of Defense, which will greatly expand access, especially in rural America. It will also allow more specialists to be involved in providing care.

When it comes to behavioral health, the Guard and Reserves have been hit especially hard. This amendment will allow for the Guard and Reserves to access behavioral health care right from their homes, immediately, when they need it the most.

This has been a very important issue to me. I've met with our military and veterans over the past several months and have closely examined the behavioral health issues affecting our young men and women.

Recently, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, General Peter Chiarelli, said, ``The Army, like the larger American society, is suffering from a shortage of behavioral health specialists, and that is, in fact, a national crisis. Efforts in tele-behavioral health--allowing specialists to meet with patients through teleconferencing technology, for instance--could increase the effectiveness and reach of a limited number of providers.'' But the general then said, ``There are challenges regarding the credentialing and licensing of specialists to work across State lines.''

Mr. Chairman, this amendment will directly address this issue and has the means to dramatically improve and change how our Nation's warriors access care. With these restrictions removed, it opens new doors to how the Department of Defense can administer and expand its health care programs. To be clear, there is nothing in this amendment that is intended to change or to be the basis for any future change to the Department of Defense or State-based scope of practice laws or regulations.

Ultimately, this amendment is about technology and modernization. It is about new ways for servicemembers and veterans to access care. It is about fulfilling a pledge to take care of our veterans, regardless of where they live, at no new cost to the taxpayers.

This bipartisan amendment has broad support from the Pentagon and military community. Some of the most notable groups include the Air Force Association, the American Legion, the Association of the United States Navy, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Mental Health America, Military Officers Association of America, National Guard Association of the United States, Reserve Enlisted Association, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense, bipartisan, no-cost amendment. As Memorial Day approaches, we owe our veterans and servicemembers as much.

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