III 111th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 541 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 27 (legislative day, May 26), 2010 Mr. Conrad (for himself, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Franken, Mr. Warner, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Inouye, and Mr. Rockefeller) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary June 23, 2010 Committee discharged; considered and agreed to with an amended preamble RESOLUTION Designating June 27, 2010, as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day.

Whereas the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces, who proudly serve the United States, risk their lives to protect the freedom of the United States and deserve the investment of every reasonable resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, and emotional well-being; Whereas up to 15 percent of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans, 10 percent of Operation Desert Storm veterans, 30 percent of Vietnam veterans, and 8 percent of the general population of the United States suffer or have suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (referred to in this preamble as PTSD); Whereas the incidence of PTSD in members of the military is rising as the United States Armed Forces conducts 2 wars, exposing hundreds of thousands of soldiers to traumatic life-threatening events; Whereas from 2000 to 2009, approximately 76,000 Department of Defense patients were diagnosed with PTSD; Whereas the Department of Defense patients— (1)were hospitalized more than 5,300 times with a primary diagnosis of PTSD; and (2)had more than 578,000 outpatient visits in which PTSD was the primary diagnosis; Whereas PTSD significantly increases the risk of depression, suicide, and drug and alcohol related disorders and deaths; Whereas the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have made significant advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and the symptoms of PTSD, but many challenges remain; and Whereas the establishment of a National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day will raise public awareness about issues related to PTSD: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)designates June 27, 2010, as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day; (2)urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to continue working to educate servicemembers, veterans, the families of servicemembers and veterans, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder; and (3)respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense.