III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 203 

Designating the month of June 2017, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress 

Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2017, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic 

Stress Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 26, 2017 

Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself, Mr. HELLER, Mr. TESTER, Mr. TILLIS, Ms. 

BALDWIN, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. BROWN, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. MURPHY, 

Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. ROBERTS, 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. DAINES, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. NELSON, Mr. 

MARKEY, Mr. CASEY, Mr. PETERS, Mr. WARNER, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. 

COONS, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. BENNET, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. FRANKEN, 

and Mrs. FEINSTEIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the month of June 2017, as ‘‘National PostTraumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2017, 

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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Whereas more than 2,000,000 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 Armed Forces have sustained a historically high 

operational tempo since September 11, 2001, with many 

members of the Armed Forces deploying 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 about 

11–20 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi 

Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom have PTSD in 

a given year, about 12 percent of Gulf War veterans have 

PTSD in a given year, and about 30 percent of Vietnam 

veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime; 

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; 

Whereas exposure to military trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress; 

Whereas post-traumatic stress significantly increases the risk 

of anxiety, depression, suicide, homelessness, and drugVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:24 Jun 27, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR203.IS SR203

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and alcohol-related disorders and deaths, especially if left 

untreated; 

Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress or other 

mental health conditions create unique challenges for veterans seeking employment; 

Whereas the Department of Defense and the Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 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 the 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 and repairable; 

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 

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; 


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Whereas combat stress had previously been viewed as a mental illness and the word ‘‘disorder’’ carries a stigma that 

perpetuates this misconception; 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 2017, as ‘‘National Post3 Traumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 

4 2017, 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; 

13 (3) welcomes the efforts of the National Center 

14 for PTSD of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

15 and local Vet Centers (as defined in section 

16 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code) to provide 


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1 assistance to veterans who are suffering from the ef2 fects of post-traumatic stress; 

3 (4) encourages commanders of the Armed 

4 Forces to support appropriate treatment of men and 

5 women of the Armed Forces who suffer from post6 traumatic stress; and 

7 (5) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

8 the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the 

9 Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 

10 Defense. 

Æ 


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