[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 455 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 455
Expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2019 as
``National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month'' and June 27,
2019, as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 20, 2019
Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Mast) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and
in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 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 support for the designation of the month of June 2019 as
``National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month'' and June 27,
2019, as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day''.
Whereas the brave men and women of 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 2,770,000 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 men and women in the Armed Forces has
sustained a 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 injury, currently referred to in the ``Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' as post-traumatic stress
disorder (in this preamble referred to as ``PTSD'');
Whereas men and women of the Armed Forces and veterans who served before
September 11, 2001, remain at risk for post-traumatic stress injury;
Whereas the Secretary of Veterans Affairs reports that approximately--
(1) 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom
or Operation Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year;
(2) 12 percent of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf war have PTSD
in a given year; and
(3) 30 percent of veterans who served in the Vietnam era 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 injury
and the persistent stigma associated with mental health conditions;
Whereas exposure to trauma during service in the Armed Forces can lead to post-
traumatic stress injury;
Whereas post-traumatic stress injury 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 injury or other mental
health disorders create unique challenges for veterans seeking
employment;
Whereas the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and
veterans 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 injury and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress injury, but many
challenges remain;
Whereas increased understanding of post-traumatic stress injury can help to
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 injury, including--
(1) an examination of how post-traumatic stress injury is discussed in
the United States; and
(2) a recognition that post-traumatic stress injury is a common injury
that is treatable;
Whereas post-traumatic stress injury 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 the word ``disorder'' perpetuates the stigma associated with combat
stress; and
Whereas the designation of a National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness
Month and a National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day will
raise public awareness about issues related to post-traumatic stress
injury, 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 House of Representatives--
(1) supports the designation of ``National Post-Traumatic
Stress Injury Awareness Month'' and ``National Post-Traumatic
Stress Injury 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,
veterans, the families of members of the Armed Forces and
veterans, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and
treatment of post-traumatic stress injury;
(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 injury, understanding that
personal interactions can save lives and advance treatment;
(4) welcomes the efforts of the National Center for Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder 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 post-traumatic stress injury;
(5) encourages officers of the Armed Forces to support
appropriate treatment of men and women of the Armed Forces who
suffer from post-traumatic stress injury;
(6) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic stress injury
on the spouses and families of members of the Armed Forces and
veterans; and
(7) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House
transmit a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and the Secretary of Defense.
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