| 00:00:00 | PLATTS: I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR YIELDING. |
| 00:00:02 | AS CO-CHAIR OF THE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY TASK FORCE, I'M HONORED TO JOIN WITH THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW JERSEY IN SUPPORT OF IMPLEMENTING POST-ACUTE TREATMENT GUIDELINES . |
| 00:00:13 | BEFORE 2007, THERE WAS NO FUNDS IN THE BUDGET FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY TREATMENTS BUT WITH THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF CHAIRMAN YOUNG AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS, WE WERE NOT ONLY TABLE PROVIDE FUNDING BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO SUSTAIN A SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF FUNDING OVER THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS. |
| 00:00:35 | AS WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS NEW GAPS FOR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS SUFFERING T. |
| 00:00:41 | B.I.'S IN THIS 2012 AUTHORIZATION BILL THAT WAS PASSED IN COMMITTEE AND MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE REQUESTED $1 MILLION TO FUND THESE POST-ACUTE GUIDELINES THAT THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW JERSEY HAS REFERENCED. |
| 00:00:55 | IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT WHILE T. |
| 00:00:57 | B.I. FUNDING THE DEFENSE APPROPRIATION BILLS IS NOT SEPARATED BY PURPOSE, IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DEPARTMENT USES THE OVERALL FUNDING FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY FOR AUTHORIZED PURPOSES. |
| 00:01:12 | IS OUR UNDERSTANDING CORRECT, MR. |
Mr. PLATTS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
As cochair of the Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force, I am honored to join with the gentleman from New Jersey in support of implementing post-acute treatment guidelines.
Before 2007, there were no funds in the budget for traumatic brain injury treatments, but with the dedicated efforts of Chairman Young and other members of the Appropriations Committee, through their efforts we were not only able to provide funding, but more importantly, to sustain a significant level of funding over the past number of years.
As we continue to address new gaps for our servicemembers suffering TBIs, in this 2012 authorization bill that was passed in the committee and moving forward through the process we requested $1 million to fund these post-acute guidelines that the gentleman from New Jersey has referenced. It is our understanding that while TBI funding in the Defense appropriations bill is not separated by purpose, it is our understanding that the Department uses the overall funding for traumatic brain injury research for authorized purposes.
Is our understanding correct, Mr. Chairman?