In June 2017 I went to Washington, to meet with Congressman Will Hurd’s office about HB 1338 and its potential as a national law. I also meet with Congressman Bill Pascrell’s staff, important because of their work with the committee on brain trauma for Congress. Both offices were supportive and I left these meetings with a list of details to provide to help with these efforts. I also attended the Brain Injury Association of America’s Brain Injury Awareness Day and visited the Texas Senators to leave a one-page handout and a comment on this proposed bill with their staff.

In late July, Congressman Hurd’s office contacted me to say the bill was being drafted and the potential looked good.

I attended his DC to DQ tour through District 23 in the fall, choosing to attend his stop in Castroville, where family lives, too.

The bill is now in the hands of the House Judiciary Committee where the language is being reviewed. We are hoping for it to become a national law in these next months of 2018 and will be back in Washington this March to work again with these offices and attend another Brain Injury Day on the Hill.

And to see the cherry blossoms!

March 2017, Tennessee was great. I spoke for one and a half hours and then mingled with the attendees for the rest of the day. My talk was followed by a Nashville police officer who upheld that good law enforcement finds value in such training.

We held the event in the meeting room of a local police station, free for use in Nashville to nonprofits. The event is a day with lunch so that attendees have an accessible and effective day. It was a moving event to connect with so many people who are interested in the experience my brain trauma has given me.

My own family has ties to the Nashville area and I enjoyed the city, seeing it through stories I have heard.