Washington, DC --- Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a senior member of the Florida Congressional Delegation, is pleased to co-sponsor legislation that is aimed at helping those with brain injuries and expanding federal neutotechnology research and developments efforts. The legislation the “National Neurotechnology Initiative Act”, H.R. 5989 would also address the thousands of US soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with brain related injuries.

Ros-Lehtinen has been a firm advocate of our troops and as such, she is proud to co-sponsor this important bill alongside her colleague Patrick J. Kennedy. Primarily supported by the Neurotechnology Industry Organization, this legislation will serve to unite and expand federal neurotechnology R&D efforts under a National Neurotechnology Initiative (NNTI).

The bill stresses the ongoing and critical problem that troops face in regards to brain injuries. Thousands of soldiers are coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan with brain disorders, most commonly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. They cannot afford to wait for decades in order to benefit from the treatments researchers are discovering every day. By connecting and coordinating neuroscience research across federal agencies, eliminating duplication and creating greater efficiencies there will be an improvement in the quality of research which will accelerate discoveries, and get treatment into the hands of those who need it.

Moreover, the costs of the bill are $400 million while brain –related disorders combined have an estimate economic burden of 1 trillion dollars. Using targeted funding increases, totaling less than 4 percent of the total brain and central nervous system research budget, the NNTI will ease bottlenecks, increase coordination, and result in critical treatments reaching patients faster.

Said Ros-Lehtinen, “I urge my colleagues to add their names to our bi partisan effort to confront brain related injuries and expand the federal contributions for this important endeavor. Now is the time to co-sponsor this bill and help our returning veterans get access to the latest treatments.”

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