Waltz Leads Bipartisan Fight for PTSD Treatment

Florida Rep. Michael Waltz (R) announced today that he and Virginia Rep. Elaine Luria (D) had issued a letter to conferees for the annual defense bill, and they requested the inclusion of their bipartisan measure that calls for research and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder for veterans.

With their United States-Israel PTSD Collaborative Research Act, it would leverage research and assets from both Israel and the United States for the research, diagnosis and the treatment of PTSD in veterans. Moreover, the legislation also created a grant program for universities and for private non-profits to research PTSD.

In the letter, the lawmakers write that “Israel, under constant attack from terrorist groups, has experienced similar issues with their veterans and civilian populations facing the symptoms of PTSD,” adding that “several leading Israeli hospitals, universities and non-profits have dedicated their efforts to researching and treating PTSD.” As well, the lawmakers concluded that “a better understanding of this disorder, along with treatment options, can help us better recognize, diagnose and treat those suffering from traumatic incidents.”

So far, the bill has amassed 98 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Waltz shared the news on Twitter, commenting that “as allies in combat, Israel & the U.S. must also fight for our military and veterans’ health off the battlefield.”