[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 81 (Monday, May 23, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3059-S3060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4080. Ms. HEITKAMP submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal

[[Page S3060]]

year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 764. STUDY ON ELIMINATING STIGMA AND IMPROVING TREATMENT 
                   OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AMONG MEMBERS 
                   OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS.

       (a) Study.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs shall jointly conduct a study on 
     eliminating the stigma and improving the treatment of post-
     traumatic stress disorder among members of the Armed Forces 
     and veterans.
       (2) Consultation.--In conducting the study required by 
     paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall consult with individuals with relevant 
     experience relating to post-traumatic stress disorder, the 
     treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, and the impact 
     of post-traumatic stress disorder on members of the Armed 
     Forces, veterans, and their families, including the following 
     individuals:
       (A) Representatives of military service organizations.
       (B) Representatives of veterans service organizations.
       (C) Health professionals with experience in treating 
     members of the Armed Forces and veterans with mental illness, 
     including those health professionals who work for the Federal 
     Government and those who do not.
       (3) Elements.--In conducting the study required by 
     paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall assess the following:
       (A) The feasibility and advisability of strategies to 
     improve the treatment of the full spectrum of post-traumatic 
     stress disorder among members of the Armed Forces and 
     veterans.
       (B) The feasibility and advisability of strategies to 
     eliminate the stigma attached to post-traumatic stress 
     disorder among members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and the 
     public in general.
       (C) The impact of the term ``disorder'' on the stigma 
     attached to post-traumatic stress disorder among members of 
     the Armed Forces and veterans, including the impact of 
     dropping the term ``disorder'' or replacing it with the term 
     ``injury'', when medically appropriate, when referring to 
     post-traumatic stress disorder.
       (D) Whether using the term ``disorder'' is the most 
     accurate way to describe post-traumatic stress disorder in 
     instances in which members of the Armed Forces and veterans 
     have experienced traumatic events but have not been formally 
     diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
       (E) Whether there is a need to update the VA/DOD Clinical 
     Practice Guideline for Management of Post-Traumatic Stress 
     published by the Department of Defense and the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs.
       (F) Whether there is a need to encourage commanders in the 
     Armed Forces to support appropriate treatment for members of 
     the Armed Forces who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress 
     disorder.
       (G) Whether there is a need to update information provided 
     to members of the Armed Forces and veterans, including 
     information on Internet websites of the Department of Defense 
     or the Department of Veterans Affairs, on post-traumatic 
     stress disorder to eliminate the stigma and more accurately 
     describe the medical conditions for which members of the 
     Armed Forces and veterans are receiving treatment.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of 
     the study required by subsection (a), including 
     recommendations for any actions that the Department of 
     Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs can take to 
     eliminate the stigma and improve the treatment of post-
     traumatic stress disorder among members of the Armed Forces 
     and veterans.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Defense of the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Defense of the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans 
     service organization'' means an organization recognized by 
     the Secretary for the representation of veterans under 
     section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
                                 ______