March 5, 2008

Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) released the attached letter to Chairman John Spratt of the House Budget Committee, requesting additional funding above the President’s request to address the prevalence of epilepsy among veterans, especially those with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Perlmutter is the sponsor of HR 2818, a bill that would create six Epilepsy Centers of Excellence within the VA health system.

"Our service men and women bravely fought for us, now it is time to fight for them and provide them with the best, highest quality medical care available," said Perlmutter. "As the father of a daughter with epilepsy, I understand and am committed to making sure our nation provides the critical medical care and research necessary to give these brave veterans the highest quality medical treatment."

Research by the VA and Department of Defense found that about half of Vietnam veterans who suffered penetrating head injuries developed epilepsy. These statistics are expected to rise with veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.