House VA Sub-Committee Holds Hearing on Perlmutter Bill Creating Veterans’ Centers to Battle Epilepsy

April 15, 2008

Today, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s Epilepsy Centers of Excellence Act, H.R. 2818. The bill addresses the critical issues facing veterans who experienced traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

TBI is one of the most common injuries of the war. Medical experts believe that 30 to 50 percent of brain injuries in military personnel will develop into epilepsy.

The bill authorizes the establishment of six Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (Epilepsy CoEs) throughout the nation to lead the way in epilepsy diagnosis, research, treatment and surgery.

“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.”

A copy of the testimony from Rep. Perlmutter is attached here.

The bill will move forward to a Subcommittee Markup in the near future.