[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 443 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 443

 Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for members of 
 the Armed Forces and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and 
  their families and urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
 Secretary of Defense to improve the services and support available to 
                 such members, veterans, and families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2009

  Ms. Moore of Wisconsin (for herself, Mr. Connolly of Virginia, Ms. 
 Clarke, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. McDermott, 
 Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, Mrs. 
  Capps, Mr. Kagen, and Mr. Edwards of Texas) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 
and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for members of 
 the Armed Forces and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and 
  their families and urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
 Secretary of Defense to improve the services and support available to 
                 such members, veterans, and families.

Whereas more than 1,000,000 members of the United States Armed Forces have 
        already served in ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, including 
        members of the National Guard and Reserves;
Whereas in Afghanistan and Iraq, members of the Armed Forces have engaged in 
        intense and prolonged combat, placing them at risk for developing post-
        traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental health conditions;
Whereas according to a Government Accountability Office report, PTSD can occur 
        after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event and is the 
        most prevalent mental health disorder resulting from combat;
Whereas early identification and treatment of symptoms of PTSD through 
        education, peer and family support, therapy, or medications may lessen 
        the severity of the condition and improve overall quality of life for 
        those with PTSD;
Whereas family members of members of the Armed Forces make numerous sacrifices 
        and are an integral part of the support network available to the 
        Nation's warriors and veterans;
Whereas it has been recognized that the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and 
        Afghanistan have placed unique stresses on the families of members of 
        the Armed Forces due to lengthy and repeated deployments and the high 
        incidence of casualties;
Whereas the House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 162 in 
        November 2007, which noted that there are more than 3,000,000 family 
        members and other dependents of those serving on active duty and in the 
        Reserve Component, that nearly 50 percent of the members of the Armed 
        Forces who are deployed away from their permanent duty stations have 
        left families with children behind, and that over 50 percent of the 
        members of the Armed Forces who are currently deployed in Iraq are 
        married;
Whereas the House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 181 in 
        September 2007 which recognized that the families of members of the 
        Armed Forces, and in particular their children, provide unconditional 
        love and support to their loved ones serving in the Armed Forces before, 
        during, and after their deployment;
Whereas the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 265 in April 2008 
        recognizing that children of members of the Armed Forces too share in 
        the burden of protecting the Nation and are a source of pride and honor 
        to all Americans and it is fitting that the Nation recognize their 
        contributions and celebrate their spirit;
Whereas House Resolution 265 urged Americans to join with the military community 
        in observing the ``National Month of the Military Child'' with 
        appropriate ceremonies and activities that honor, support, and thank 
        military children;
Whereas, on July 15, 2008, the House of Representatives passed House Concurrent 
        Resolution 295 expressing appreciation to families of members of the 
        Armed Forces and recognizing that they too bear the burdens of war;
Whereas the Department of Defense June 2007 Mental Health Task Force report 
        noted that ``The well-being of service members is inextricably linked to 
        the well-being of their families. Frequent redeployments may strain even 
        the strongest family bonds. In this era of instant communication, the 
        service member remains in constant contact with his or her family . . . 
        Thus, a world-class military mental health system ensures optimal mental 
        health among not only service members but also family members.'';
Whereas while families can play a critical role in veterans' readjustment 
        through support, family members who are suffering as a result of the 
        long separations and multiple and extended tours of duty, and in some 
        cases by their own experience with depression or anxiety, may not have 
        the capacity to provide that needed support;
Whereas of the approximately 300,000 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom who have accessed Department of Veterans Affairs 
        health care, over 40 percent have presented mental health concerns, 
        including PTSD, substance abuse, and mood disorders;
Whereas millions of other veterans from previous wars also continue to suffer 
        the effects of PTSD and to seek treatment from the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs;
Whereas PTSD has been associated with severe, pervasive negative effects that 
        affect the whole family and not just the veteran including impacts on 
        marital adjustment, family functioning, and the mental health of 
        partners, which are reflected in part by rates of separation, divorce, 
        and interpersonal violence;
Whereas a number of reports have noted that the effects of post-combat mental 
        and cognitive conditions can adversely affect those closest to the 
        veteran, as family member of veterans with PTSD may be faced with a 
        number of strains from managing the person's symptoms, dealing with 
        crises, loss of friends, or loss of intimacy;
Whereas the RAND Corporation's Invisible Wounds of War report noted that with 
        respect to PTSD, ``there is extensive evidence that secondary 
        traumatizing--a situation in which the intimate partners of trauma 
        survivors themselves begin to experience symptoms of trauma--occurs and 
        has serious negative consequences for the emotional and psychological 
        well-being of the spouses of veterans with PTSD . . . Thus the brunt of 
        the burden of servicemembers with PTSD appears to fall on the people who 
        are most intimate with those individuals--their wives.'';
Whereas the study further reported that compared with the wives of other 
        veterans, wives of veterans with either of the disorders (post-
        concussion syndrome or PTSD), experience significantly higher levels of 
        distress and psychiatric symptoms;
Whereas the Special Committee on PTSD of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        advised in February 2006 that the ``VA needs to proceed with a broad 
        understanding of post deployment mental health issues'' and that 
        ``Because virtually all returning veterans and their families face 
        readjustment problems, it makes sense to provide universal interventions 
        that include education and support for veterans and their families 
        coupled with screening and triage for the minority of veterans and 
        families who will need further intervention'';
Whereas while spouses, children, and parents of veterans with mental health care 
        needs are affected by the condition of their family members who served 
        in the Armed Forces, many may not have access to the variety of 
        treatment services that are available to veterans at facilities of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense;
Whereas the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives has 
        held a number of hearings to explore ways to help the family members of 
        the Nation's veterans access needed health care services through the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs facilities; and
Whereas Congress recognizes that it is important to support the needs of 
        families of members of the Armed Forces, especially those diagnosed with 
        PTSD or other mental health conditions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports increasing efforts to allow the spouses and 
        family members of veterans, including soldiers killed in combat 
        in Iraq and Afghanistan, to receive needed counseling services 
        at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities;
            (2) encourages the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
        Secretary of Defense to develop programs for veterans with PTSD 
        that include and treat the whole family, including by offering 
        training and counseling for coping, intervention, resiliency, 
        and overcoming adversities;
            (3) believes that such a holistic approach would include 
        families, as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs, in mental health counseling and programs provided by 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs to the maximum extent 
        possible and appropriate;
            (4) calls on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the 
        Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other appropriate 
        Federal agencies to increase resources available for family and 
        friends of veterans who are suffering from PTSD and to continue 
        to build up programs and initiatives to educate and support all 
        veterans and their families seeking care for combat-related 
        PTSD;
            (5) urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
        Secretary of Defense to increase access to counseling and other 
        mental health services to family members of veterans, including 
        the family members of members of the Armed Forces killed in 
        Iraq and Afghanistan, as part of the comprehensive plan for 
        preventing, diagnosing, treating, and responding to traumatic 
        brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental 
        health conditions in members of the Armed Forces as required by 
        the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 
        (Public Law 110-181);
            (6) urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to collaborate 
        with the Department of Defense center of excellence in the 
        prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and 
        rehabilitation of PTSD and other mental health conditions, 
        established pursuant to section 1622 of the Wounded Warrior Act 
        (title XVI of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
        Year 2008; Public Law 110-181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note), to develop 
        and implement effective strategies to educate and reach out to 
        the families of members of the Armed Forces with PTSD, to 
        develop programs to mitigate the negative impacts of PTSD on 
        these family members, to conduct research on the mental health 
        needs of these families in order to guide protocols to address 
        identified needs, and to better support the recovery of members 
        of the Armed Forces and veterans with PTSD through 
        strengthening the ability of family members to meet those 
        needs;
            (7) requests that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
        Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress a list of statutory 
        barriers that prevent each department from expanding access to 
        mental health counseling services for family members of 
        veterans, including recommendations for legislative remedies; 
        and
            (8) urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to aggressively 
        work with Congress, veterans service organizations, and others, 
        including through partnerships with nonprofit veterans groups 
        working to meet the mental health needs of our military members 
        and their families, to determine how to best meet the needs of 
        veterans and their family members.
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