Standing Up for Victims of Havana Syndrome, Senators Shaheen and Collins Urge Pentagon to Pause Relocation Proposal
**Pentagon proposal would relocate the cross-functional team that advances research and needed care for victims of anomalous health incidents (AHIs), also known as Havana Syndrome**
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME), long-standing partners on efforts to treat and uncover the effects of anomalous health incidents (AHIs), are raising concerns about the Pentagon’s possible proposal to restructure the team that oversees the federal government’s response to AHIs, also known as “Havana Syndrome.” In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Shaheen and Collins argue that a proposed relocation of the cross-functional team (CFT) could stifle ongoing efforts to do right by victims of Havana Syndrome and urge the Pentagon to pause the effort until Congress is briefed.
The Senators wrote, in part: “Since 2021, the Department's CFT has identified critical care for victims, led research into causation and provided timely information to Congress on its important work. We ask that you maintain the current structure of the CFT and pause any proposed movements of the CFT's location within the Department until the Department follows its statutorily-required briefing requirements to Congress.”
The lawmakers continued: “Since Congress passed the HAVANA Act, more than 300 US government personnel have qualified for care in the military health system, many of them U.S. servicemembers, diplomats and members of the intelligence community. We owe it to these personnel to continue to receive care while ongoing research is done on attribution and technology, which can only be done by the CFT in its current form.”
The Senators continued: “It was also President Trump's first administration that began investigating the source of the phenomenon when AHIs were first reported. Therefore, any proposed changes to the CFT and its mandate from within your Department appear to be out of line with both your priorities and those of the President.”
Shaheen and Collins concluded: “Consistent with your commitments to Congress and the law, we request that you pause any movement of the Cross-Functional Team within the Pentagon until you brief Congress immediately both on your statutory requirement and any proposed changes to the CFT's location and structure.”
Click HERE to view the full letter text.
In 2019, Shaheen successfully secured language to provide long-term, emergency care benefits for injured U.S. Government employees serving overseas and their dependents that have been designated as suffering injuries as a result of a hostile action or health incident while serving in China and Cuba. The Shaheen and Collins-backed HAVANA Act was signed into law on October 8, 2021, after passing both chambers of Congress unanimously.
Shaheen and Collins have long partnered to push the U.S. government under Presidents of both parties to do more for victims of Havana Syndrome. In 2021, the pair unveiled bipartisan legislation to reform the U.S. government’s investigation and response to suspected directed energy attacks and improve access to care for impacted individuals. In 2024, they led a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to President Biden urging his administration to renew efforts to investigate the root cause behind AHIs.
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