Blumenthal Introduces Amendment to Address Concussions at Service Academies

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to address concussions at United States Service Academies. The amendment would require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the effects of concussions in sports and training activities at the United States Service Academies. This amendment builds upon a similar provision in the House by extending the study to not just student athletes—but to all students given the concussion risk posed by training activities.

“With another tragic story of a famed American diagnosed with C.T.E. cropping up seemingly every day, we know all too well that the dangers of head injuries are real,” Blumenthal said. “As the science around concussions develops, this important amendment will require a study on how concussions sustained during sports or training activities at academy affect our servicemembers. They signed up to protect us, and it is our duty to do what we can to protect them.”

Blumenthal is a leader in protecting Americans from the dangers of concussions. He has helped lead legislation, the Youth Sports Concussion Act, which would ensure that safety standards for sports equipment, including football helmets, are based on the latest science and curb false advertising claims made by manufacturers to increase protective sports gear sales. This legislation was voted out of the Senate Commerce Committee in April.

Click here to read a New York Times article from September detailing the prevalence of concussions at military academies.

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