Litigation

Brain Injury Legislative Update

By Michael Kaplen

Here is the most recent legislative update prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America which I have been requested to distribute on their behalf:

Dear Advocates:

Congress reconvened this week to begin its fall legislative session after a month-long summer recess.
The Brain Injury Association of America submitted formal testimony at a hearing held this week by the House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee.  The hearing was held on Tuesday, September 9, and focused on several pieces of legislation, including H.R. 3051, The Heroes At Home Act of 2007, which BIAA has strongly endorsed. 

BIAA also sent out a Legislative Action Alert this week, urging grassroots advocates to tell their elected officials in Congress to increase appropriations for federal TBI programs in the expected upcoming extended Continuing Resolution. 

In addition, the Senate passed The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (S. 3406) on Thursday, September 11.  This legislation to clarify and update the Americans with Disabilities Act has been widely supported by disability advocacy organizations, including BIAA.

In other news this week, it was announced that the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) School of Medicine will lead a $60 million, five-year, 10-site Clinical Consortium funded by the Department of Defense Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program to conduct studies leading to the prevention and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and TBI.  In a September 10 San Diego Union-Tribune article reporting on this new Consortium, BIAA CEO and President Susan H. Connors was quoted, stating, ?This war, no matter how you feel about it, is going to make a monumental difference in the lives of people with brain injuries.?

***SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT*** :  BIAA is excited to announce that the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force will be holding a briefing on Capitol Hill next Tuesday featuring a presentation by Michael Paul Mason, a brain injury case manager and author of Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath.  BIAA has been proud to help facilitate this educational event, which will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 10:30 a.m., in Room 121 of the Cannon House Office Building.  The briefing is open to the public, as well as to Members of Congress and their staff.

Full post as published by Brain Injury News and Information on September 15, 2008 (boomark / email).