[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 76 (Thursday, May 24, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3658-S3659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         NATIONAL POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be 
discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 455.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 455) designating June 27, 2012, as 
     ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 455) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 455

       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 possible resource to ensure their lasting 
     physical, mental, and emotional well-being;
       Whereas more than 2,000,000 servicemembers have deployed 
     overseas as part of overseas contingency operations since the 
     events of September 11, 2001;
       Whereas the military has sustained an operational tempo for 
     a period of time unprecedented in the history of the United 
     States, with many servicemembers deploying multiple times, 
     placing them at high risk of PTSD;
       Whereas according to the Armed Forces Health Surveillance 
     Center, approximately 90,000 servicemembers who have returned 
     from overseas contingency operations have been clinically 
     diagnosed with PTSD;
       Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs reports that--
       (1) since 2002, more than 217,000 of the more than 750,000 
     veterans of overseas contingency operations who have sought 
     care at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center have 
     been diagnosed with PTSD; and
       (2) in fiscal year 2011, more than 475,000 of the nearly 
     6,000,000 veterans from all wars who sought care at a 
     Department of Veterans Affairs medical center received 
     treatment for PTSD;
       Whereas many cases of PTSD remain unreported, undiagnosed, 
     and untreated due to a lack of awareness about PTSD and the 
     persistent stigma associated with mental health issues;
       Whereas PTSD significantly increases the risk of 
     depression, suicide, and drug- and alcohol-related disorders 
     and deaths, especially if left untreated;
       Whereas perceived or actual symptoms of PTSD or other 
     mental health issues create unique challenges for veterans 
     seeking employment;
       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, reduce the stigma associated 
     with PTSD, and help ensure that those

[[Page S3659]]

     suffering from the invisible wounds of war receive proper 
     treatment: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates June 27, 2012, as ``National Post-Traumatic 
     Stress Disorder Awareness Day'';
       (2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to educate 
     servicemembers, veterans, the families of servicemembers and 
     veterans, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and 
     treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (referred to in 
     this resolution as ``PTSD''); 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.

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