Congratulations to Rep. Ed Perlmutter on today’s House passage of his bill, Epilepsy Centers of Excellence Act of 2007 (H.R 2818), addressing the critical issues facing veterans who have experienced traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

The bill authorizes the establishment of five epilepsy treatment centers co-located at the VA Polytrauma Centers in Palo Alto, Minneapolis, San Antonio, Richmond and Tampa to lead the way in epilepsy diagnosis, research, treatment and surgery.

TBI is one of the most common injuries of the Iraq war. Medical experts believe that 30 to 50 percent of brain injuries in military personnel will develop into epilepsy. These Centers will care for veterans’ experiencing seizures and especially those we predict will develop epilepsy as a result of suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rep. Perlmutter introduced the bill a year ago and it passed today easily on a voice vote. The bill now goes to a conference committee with the Senate.