NW Houston News

Rep. Dan Crenshaw held a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol to unveil the Douglas 'Mike' Day Psychedelic Therapy to Save Lives Act, surrounded by supporters and advocates of the life-saving therapy.

The Congressman was joined by Amber and Marcus Capone of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, Jonathan Lubecky of Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, retired U.S. Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, Donald Franklin of Special Operations Association of America, retired U.S. Navy SEAL Congressman Morgan Luttrell, and retired U.S. Marine General Congressman Jack Bergman.

"I'm once again calling on Congress to use this year’s NDAA to direct the Secretary of Defense to provide grants for further research into the use of psychedelics to treat PTSD and TBI in our active-duty service members," Rep. Dan Crenshaw said.

"Why am I pushing for this? Because it works. And as Mike’s widow Brenda would attest to, it could have saved Mike’s life," Rep. Crenshaw said, referring to Mike Day – the namesake of the bill. Day served 21 years as a Navy SEAL, and tragically took his own life earlier this year.

“If I hadn't gone through it, my son would have a folded flag, and instead, he has a father. I think we need more mothers and fathers and less folded flags,” said Jonathan Lubecky, an Army veteran who underwent psychedelic treatment.

"I applaud my former SEAL teammate Rep. Crenshaw and all congressional members in support of this bill, which is a critical step in ending the suicide epidemic plaguing our active-duty and veteran populations," said Marcus Capone, co-founder of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions and a Navy SEAL veteran who underwent psychedelic treatment.

"We know there is a better way," said Amber Capone, co-founder of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions. "We've lived it, we've seen hundreds of others living it as well. Our service members and veterans deserve access to therapies that work within the borders of the nation that they were willing to die for."

"They should not have to struggle silently with their visible and invisible wounds. They need hope. Mike Day needed hope," said Donald Franklin of Special Operations Association of America.

"This is the pathway forward. We have veterans rallying behind this effort because we want to solve the problems that are inflicting our service members," said Rep. Morgan Luttrell.

"It's time for all of you – Democrat or Republican – members of the House, to step up and support Rep. Crenshaw's bill, support the overall effort to study [breakthroughs] in psychedelic-assisted therapies," said Rep. Jack Bergman.

The bill has a broad, bipartisan coalition of co-sponsors: Reps. Luttrell, Bergman, Van Orden, Zinke, Gaetz, Ocasio-Cortez, Laurel Lee, Mace, Correa, Moskowitz, Khanna, and Blumenauer.

Read the full bill here.

Original source can be found here.