National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, my amendment would direct the Department of Defense to conduct a study on blast injury mechanics covering a wide range of primary blast injury conditions, including traumatic brain injury, in order to accelerate solution development in this critical area.

As the co-chair and cofounder of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, I have spent the last 14 years fighting for patients with brain injuries, both on and off the battlefield. We all know that TBI is the signature wound of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and while we have made great progress on ensuring our soldiers have the best care, there is still more work to be done.

The DOD's peer-reviewed Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program conducts extensive research on TBI. However, little is known about a primary blast injury and its connection to TBI. Researchers still do not know the exact mechanisms by which a primary blast injury damages the brain cells and circuits. Understanding how a primary blast injury affects the brain is imperative to developing appropriate prevention measures, including ensuring proper equipment.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment in the en bloc.

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