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.
The U.S.-Israel partnership keeps both countries safer.
With bipartisan support from Congress, Israel developed #IronDome to protect its citizens from rockets fired by Iranian-backed terror groups.
The @USArmy purchased the system last year to help protect our troops.
— AIPAC (@AIPAC) November 12, 2020
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.”
As allies in combat, Israel & the U.S. must also fight for our military and veterans' health off the battlefield.⁰⁰Proud to work with @RepElaineLuria on our bill to promote PTSD research & treatment with Israel. Read more:⁰https://t.co/0ajsIhJnFT
— Rep. Michael Waltz (@RepMichaelWaltz) November 11, 2020
