[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 618 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 618

  Designating June 2020 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness 
    Month'' and June 27, 2020, as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress 
                            Awareness Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 15, 2020

Mr. Sullivan (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
   Cramer, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Tester, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. 
 Feinstein, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Loeffler, Mrs. Capito, Mrs. 
  Shaheen, Mr. Hoeven, Ms. Smith, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Reed, Mr. Crapo, Mr. 
   Wicker, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 
 Portman, Mr. Cruz, and Mr. Braun) submitted the following resolution; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating June 2020 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness 
    Month'' and June 27, 2020, as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress 
                            Awareness Day''.

Whereas the brave men and women of the Armed Forces, who proudly serve the 
        United States--

    (1) risk their lives to protect the freedom, health, and welfare of the 
people of the United States; and

    (2) deserve the investment of every possible resource to ensure their 
lasting physical, mental, and emotional well-being;

Whereas, since the events of September 11, 2001, nearly 2,800,000 members of the 
        Armed Forces have deployed overseas and 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 enduring traumatic combat stress;
Whereas, when left untreated, exposure to traumatic combat stress can lead to 
        severe and chronic post-traumatic stress responses, which are commonly 
        referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder (referred to in this 
        preamble as ``PTSD'') or post-traumatic stress injury;
Whereas many men and women of the Armed Forces and veterans who served before 
        September 11, 2001, live with mental health needs from post-traumatic 
        stress and remain at risk for responses to that stress;
Whereas many post-traumatic stress responses 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 post-traumatic stress significantly increases the risk of post-traumatic 
        stress responses, including anxiety, depression, homelessness, substance 
        abuse, and suicide, especially if left untreated;
Whereas the Secretary of Veterans Affairs reports that--

    (1) between 11 and 20 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom have post-traumatic stress in a given 
year;

    (2) approximately 12 percent of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf 
War have post-traumatic stress in a given year; and

    (3) approximately 30 percent of veterans who served in the Vietnam era 
have had post-traumatic stress in their lifetimes;

Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress as a mental health disorder 
        create unique challenges for veterans seeking employment;
Whereas the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans 
        service organizations, and the private and public medical community 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 
        stigma attached to the mental health issues of post-traumatic stress;
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;

Whereas timely and appropriate treatment of post-traumatic stress responses can 
        diminish complications and avert suicides;
Whereas post-traumatic stress--

    (1) 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, natural disasters, or 
global pandemics; and

    (2) affects approximately 8,000,000 adults in the United States 
annually;

Whereas traumatic events such as the COVID-19 pandemic could--

    (1) increase the number of individuals impacted by post-traumatic 
stress; or

    (2) exacerbate the responses of post-traumatic stress;

Whereas the diagnosis of PTSD was first defined by the American Psychiatric 
        Association in 1980 to commonly and more accurately understand and treat 
        survivors of physical and psychological trauma, including veterans who 
        had endured severe traumatic combat stress;
Whereas the word ``disorder'' can perpetuate the stigma associated with combat 
        stress, so the more general term ``post-traumatic stress'' is often 
        preferred; and
Whereas the designation of a National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month and 
        a National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day raises public awareness 
        about issues relating to post-traumatic stress, reduces the stigma 
        associated with post-traumatic stress, and helps ensure that individuals 
        suffering from the invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates--
                    (A) June 2020 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress 
                Awareness Month''; and
                    (B) June 27, 2020, as ``National Post-Traumatic 
                Stress Awareness Day'';
            (2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and 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;
            (3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        and the Secretary of Defense to foster--
                    (A) cultural change around the issue of post-
                traumatic stress; and
                    (B) 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;
            (5) encourages the leadership of the Armed Forces to 
        support appropriate treatment of men and women of the Armed 
        Forces who suffer from post-traumatic stress;
            (6) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic stress on the 
        spouses and families of members of the Armed Forces and 
        veterans; and
            (7) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
        transmit a copy of this resolution to--
                    (A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and
                    (B) the Secretary of Defense.
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