Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Tom Cotton, Jeanne Shaheen, and Susan Collins secured key provisions and funding in the Senate FY22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to provide American government employees and their families suffering from symptoms of “Havana Syndrome” access to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed. These provisions were included in the WIRe Act introduced by the four Senators in May 2021.
“In the past several years, U.S. government employees and their families have experienced attacks that have left them suffering from symptoms of ‘Havana Syndrome,’ which include headaches, memory problems and brain damage,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud that this year’s NDAA includes the bipartisan Walter Reed Injury Recovery (WIRe) Act, which will ensure that those suffering from Havana Syndrome can receive care at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed, the nation’s top facility for treating such injuries. This important legislation honors our commitment to the men and women who bravely serve our country.”
“Brave Americans wounded in the service of our country deserve every measure of our support,” said Senator Cotton. “I’m proud of this important provision is included in the NDAA as part of a long campaign to care for the men and women who protect us every day and hold their attackers responsible.”
“For years I’ve been working to increase access to medical benefits and care for public servants and their loved ones who’ve been affected by directed energy attacks. After all they’ve been through, they shouldn’t face the additional burden of attaining the care they need and deserve to get well. I appreciate the bipartisan determination in Congress to right this wrong and I’m glad to partner with Senators Gillibrand, Cotton and Collins on legislation to build on that progress,” said Senator Shaheen. “The National Academy of Sciences report informed us that swift action is critical in helping those who’ve been victimized by these attacks, which is why The WIRe Act – which will allow those afflicted to access care at Walter Reed facilities for medical treatment – is so important. This is a necessary step to help those who’ve been affected, but much work remains. I’ll keep up the pressure to deliver the assistance our public servants and their loved ones need to get well and will stop at nothing to uncover the causation of these attacks.”
“It is unacceptable that some victims of probable directed energy attacks did not receive the medical support they should have expected from our government when they were injured,” said Senator Collins. “American personnel who have undergone these attacks while serving our country should be treated the same way we would treat a soldier who suffered a traumatic injury on the battlefield. Walter Reed Medical Center has a world-renowned treatment center for TBIs, and I am pleased that our bipartisan provision in the NDAA would ensure non-DOD personnel have prompt access to this top-notch care.”
Additionally, the Senators secured $30 million in the Senate NDAA for the Defense Health Program in order to improve treatment for victims of Havana Syndrome.