[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 264 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 264
Designating June 2023 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness
Month'' and June 27, 2023, as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress
Awareness Day''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 21, 2023
Mr. Sullivan (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Tuberville, Ms. Stabenow,
Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr.
Kaine, Mr. Braun, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mr. Cassidy) submitted
the following resolution; which considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Designating June 2023 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness
Month'' and June 27, 2023, 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 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) approximately 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 post-traumatic stress disorder 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 2023 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress
Awareness Month''; and
(B) June 27, 2023, 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 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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