III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 220 

Designating the month of June 2019 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress 

Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2019, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic 

Stress Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 23 (legislative day, MAY 22), 2019 

Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. TILLIS, Ms. BALDWIN, 

Mr. CRAMER, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. 

MORAN, Mr. COONS, Mr. DAINES, Mr. BENNET, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. 

TESTER, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CASEY, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. 

HOEVEN, Ms. STABENOW, Ms. COLLINS, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. HYDESMITH, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. YOUNG, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. 

MERKLEY, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. LEAHY, Mrs. CAPITO, Ms. SMITH, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Mr. REED, and Mr. BOOKER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the month of June 2019 as ‘‘National PostTraumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2019, 

as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress 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 wellbeing; 


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•SRES 220 IS 

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, sometimes referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘PTSD’’) or post-traumatic stress 

injury; 

Whereas men and women of the Armed Forces and veterans 

who served before September 11, 2001, remain at risk 

for post-traumatic stress; 

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 and the persistent stigma associated with mental health conditions; 


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•SRES 220 IS 

Whereas exposure to trauma during service in the Armed 

Forces can lead to post-traumatic stress; 

Whereas post-traumatic stress significantly increases the risk 

of anxiety, depression, suicide, homelessness, and drugand alcohol-related disorders and deaths, especially if left 

untreated; 

Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress 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 

and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress, but many 

challenges remain; 

Whereas increased understanding of post-traumatic stress 

can help 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, 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 post-traumatic stress 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 


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•SRES 220 IS 

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 

Awareness Month and a National Post-Traumatic Stress 

Awareness Day will raise public awareness about issues 

related to post-traumatic stress, reduce the associated 

stigma, and help ensure that those individuals suffering 

from the invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates June 2019 as ‘‘National Post3 Traumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 

4 2019, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Aware5 ness Day’’; 

6 (2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Vet7 erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense, as well 

8 as the entire medical community, to educate mem9 bers of the Armed Forces, veterans, the families of 

10 members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and the 

11 public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of 

12 post-traumatic stress; 


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•SRES 220 IS 

1 (3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Vet2 erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to foster 

3 cultural change around the issue of post-traumatic 

4 stress, understanding that personal interactions can 

5 save lives and advance treatment; 

6 (4) welcomes the efforts of the National Center 

7 for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of the Depart8 ment of Veterans Affairs and local Vet Centers (as 

9 defined in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United 

10 States Code) to provide assistance to veterans who 

11 are suffering from the effects of post-traumatic 

12 stress; 

13 (5) encourages officers of the Armed Forces to 

14 support appropriate treatment of men and women of 

15 the Armed Forces who suffer from post-traumatic 

16 stress; 

17 (6) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic 

18 stress on the spouses and families of members of the 

19 Armed Forces and veterans; and 

20 (7) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

21 the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the 

22 Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 

23 Defense. 

Æ 


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