Shaheen, Collins Meet with AHI Interagency Coordinator Maher Bitar to Discuss Admin’s Response to Directed Energy Attacks

**The White House announced last month that Maher Bitar would serve as the Anomalous Health Incident (AHI) Interagency Coordinator following Shaheen’s provision that created this position through the NDAA** 

**Shaheen & Collins wrote a letter to Bitar last month urging him to address pressing issues that hamper the U.S.’ whole-of-government response to directed energy attacks**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, and Susan Collins today met with Maher Bitar, the Senior Director for Intelligence on the National Security Council and newly designated Anomalous Health Incidents (AHI) Interagency Coordinator, to discuss the administration’s response to directed energy attacks – otherwise known as “Havana Syndrome.” They discussed the Senators’ leadership to expand victims’ access to quality medical care and improve the coordination of the government’s response, as well as the forthcoming interagency briefings to Congress required by their legislation.

The meeting comes on the heels of a letter Senators Shaheen and Collins wrote to Bitar last month urging him to address pressing issues pertaining to the U.S.’ whole-of-government response to suspected directed energy attacks.

“I appreciated meeting with Mr. Bitar today to discuss his newly designated role and next steps in the administration’s response to suspected directed energy attacks. This administration must act with urgency to treat victims suffering from serious brain injuries due to these mysterious attacks – I’ve been pleased by Mr. Bitar’s commitment to this issue over the last year prior to his official designation,” said Shaheen. “I wrote legislation to create this position because it is critical that we ensure equitable and consistent care for victims of suspected directed energy attacks and ensure they have access to the medical treatment they need to get well. I look forward to working closely with Mr. Bitar and other administration officials working to address this issue and ensure a whole-of-government response that expands access to care for affected public servants and uncovers the cause of these attacks.”

“I appreciated that Mr. Bitar took the time to meet with us today to provide an update on the work he is coordinating to implement the HAVANA Act and ensure that AHI victims have the health care and financial assistance they need,” said Senator Collins.  “We had a productive discussion about the importance of treating affected personnel fairly and consistently across government agencies.  There is still a great deal of work to do to ensure timely and equitable access to medical care and other compensation, but I was encouraged by Mr. Bitar’s commitment to making sure public servants who have experienced TBIs receive the support they deserve.”

Senator Shaheen has long stood by government employees and their families who have suffered from these mysterious injuries from directed energy attacks, and leads efforts in Congress to provide them critical health benefits. The FY2022 national defense law included a Shaheen provision based on her standalone legislation to require the President to designate a senior national security official – now filled by Maher Bitar – to organize a whole-of-government response and direct the heads of relevant agencies to designate senior officials to lead their agency’s response. The FY2022 law also includes a provision Shaheen supported to ensure wounded officers and their families have immediate access to specialized facilities at Walter Reed. In the FY2021 NDAA that became law, Shaheen successfully included language to expand a provision in law that she previously wrote to provide long-term, emergency care benefits to all U.S. Government employees and their dependents who were mysteriously injured while working in China and Cuba. Last year, legislation Shaheen co-sponsored, led by Senator Collins, to support public servants who have incurred injuries due to directed energy attacks was signed into law. Senator Shaheen and Collins have also called on the administration to expand access to care at Walter Reed for those affected by these incidents.

Senator Collins, a member of the Intelligence Committee, has been a leader in Congress’ efforts to ensure Havana Syndrome victims receive the support they deserve.  Last year, the HAVANA Act that Senator Collins authored was signed into law.  The legislation authorizes the Director of the CIA and the Secretary of State to provide additional financial support for American public servants who have incurred brain injuries likely from directed energy attacks.  Senator Collins also secured funding in the draft Department of Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2022 to implement the HAVANA Act.

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