[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 554 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 554

Designating the month of June 2018 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress 
   Awareness Month'' and June 27, 2018, as ``National Post-Traumatic 
                        Stress Awareness Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 20, 2018

 Ms. Heitkamp (for herself, Mr. Heller, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Grassley, Mr. 
Tester, Mr. Rounds, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Daines, Mr. Jones, Mr. Roberts, 
  Ms. Hassan, Mr. Hoeven, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Cardin, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Markey, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Coons, 
 Mr. Donnelly, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Casey, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Klobuchar, 
Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Bennet, Ms. 
Warren, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Smith, Mr. King, Mr. Booker, and Mr. 
  Reed) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Designating the month of June 2018 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress 
   Awareness Month'' and June 27, 2018, as ``National Post-Traumatic 
                        Stress Awareness Day''.

Whereas the brave men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States (in 
        this preamble referred to as the ``Armed Forces''), who proudly serve 
        the United States, risk their lives to protect the freedom of the people 
        of the United States and deserve the investment of every possible 
        resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, and emotional well-
        being;
Whereas more than 3,000,000 members of the Armed Forces have deployed overseas 
        since the events of September 11, 2001, and have served in places such 
        as Afghanistan and Iraq;
Whereas the current generation of military men and women has sustained a 
        historically high rate of operational deployments, with many members of 
        the Armed Forces serving overseas multiple times, placing those members 
        at high risk of experiencing combat stress;
Whereas, when left untreated, exposure to traumatic combat stress can lead to 
        post-traumatic stress, sometimes referred to as post-traumatic stress 
        disorder (in this preamble referred to as ``PTSD'') or post-traumatic 
        stress injury;
Whereas men and women of the Armed Forces and veterans who served before 
        September 11, 2001, remain at risk for post-traumatic stress;
Whereas the Secretary of Veterans Affairs reports that--

    (1) about 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year;

    (2) about 12 percent of Gulf War veterans have PTSD in a given year; 
and

    (3) about 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have had PTSD in their 
lifetimes;

Whereas many combat stress injuries remain unreported, undiagnosed, and 
        untreated due to a lack of awareness about post-traumatic stress and the 
        persistent stigma associated with mental health conditions;
Whereas exposure to military trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress;
Whereas post-traumatic stress significantly increases the risk of anxiety, 
        depression, suicide, homelessness, and drug- and alcohol-related 
        disorders and deaths, especially if left untreated;
Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress or other mental health 
        disorders create unique challenges for veterans seeking employment;
Whereas the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
        Veteran Service Organizations, as well as the larger medical community, 
        both private and public, have made significant advances in the 
        identification, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of post-traumatic 
        stress and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress, but many challenges 
        remain;
Whereas increased understanding of post-traumatic stress can help eliminate the 
        stigma attached to this mental health issue;
Whereas additional efforts are needed to find further ways to eliminate the 
        stigma associated with post-traumatic stress, including--

    (1) an examination of how post-traumatic stress is discussed in the 
United States; and

    (2) a recognition that post-traumatic stress is a common injury that is 
treatable and repairable;

Whereas post-traumatic stress can result from any number of stressors other than 
        combat, including rape, sexual assault, battery, torture, confinement, 
        child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or 
        natural disasters, and affects approximately 8,000,000 adults in the 
        United States annually;
Whereas the diagnosis now known as PTSD was first defined by the American 
        Psychiatric Association in 1980 to commonly and more accurately 
        understand and treat veterans who had endured severe traumatic combat 
        stress;
Whereas combat stress had previously been viewed as a mental illness, and the 
        word ``disorder'' carries a stigma that perpetuates this misconception; 
        and
Whereas the designation of a National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month and 
        a National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day will raise public 
        awareness about issues related to post-traumatic stress, reduce the 
        associated stigma, and help ensure that those individuals suffering from 
        the invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates June 2018 as ``National Post-Traumatic 
        Stress Awareness Month'' and June 27, 2018, as ``National Post-
        Traumatic Stress Awareness Day'';
            (2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs and the Secretary of Defense, as well as the entire 
        medical community, to educate members of the Armed Forces of 
        the United States, veterans, the families of members of the 
        Armed Forces of the United States and veterans, and the public 
        about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic 
        stress;
            (3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        and the Secretary of Defense to foster cultural change around 
        the issue of post-traumatic stress, understanding that personal 
        interactions can save lives and advance treatment;
            (4) welcomes the efforts of the National Center for PTSD of 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs and local Vet Centers (as 
        defined in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code) to 
        provide assistance to veterans who are suffering from the 
        effects of this injury;
            (5) encourages commanders of the Armed Forces of the United 
        States to support appropriate treatment of men and women of the 
        Armed Forces of the United States who suffer from post-
        traumatic stress; and
            (6) 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.
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