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Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-CA), Bart Stupak (D-MI), Lee Terry (R-NE), and Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced bipartisan legislation that would significantly increase the availability of telemedicine for all Americans. Currently about 80% of Americans do not have access to telemedicine facilities because of restrictions that limit funding for these types of facilities to rural areas. The “Medicare Telehealth Enhancement Act,” (H.R. 2068), would expand Medicare reimbursement to urban and suburban areas and include more facilities. It will also allow doctors to monitor patients remotely.

Congressman Denny Rehberg (R-MT-AL) and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA-01) today introduced legislation in the U.S. House that would require every soldier to have a face-to-face mental health screening before they are deployed on a combat mission, upon their return, and every six months for two years following their return. The bill is the companion legislation to a measure introduced in the Senate by Senator Max Baucus (D-MT).

Today, Representative Mike Thompson (D-North Coast) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect and restore the healthiest remaining wild Pacific salmon ecosystems in North America. A companion bill was introduced earlier this month by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), with co-sponsorship from the entire West Coast Senate delegation.