III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 618 

Designating June 2020 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness 

Month’’ and June 27, 2020, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 15, 2020 

Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 

Mr. CRAMER, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. TESTER, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. LOEFFLER, 

Mrs. CAPITO, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. HOEVEN, Ms. SMITH, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. 

REED, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. WICKER, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. 

LEAHY, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. BRAUN, and Mr. 

MERKLEY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

JUNE 25, 2020 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating June 2020 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress 

Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2020, 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 


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(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 posttraumatic stress disorder (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘PTSD’’) 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— 


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(1) between 11 and 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; 


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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 PTSD 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates— 


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1 (A) June 2020 as ‘‘National Post-Trau2 matic Stress Awareness Month’’; and 

3 (B) June 27, 2020, as ‘‘National Post4 Traumatic Stress Awareness Day’’; 

5 (2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Vet6 erans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and the en7 tire medical community to educate members of the 

8 Armed Forces, veterans, the families of members of 

9 the Armed Forces and veterans, and the public 

10 about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post11 traumatic stress; 

12 (3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Vet13 erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to fos14 ter— 

15 (A) cultural change around the issue of 

16 post-traumatic stress; and 

17 (B) understanding that personal inter18 actions can save lives and advance treatment; 

19 (4) welcomes the efforts of the National Center 

20 for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of the Depart21 ment of Veterans Affairs and local Vet Centers (as 

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

23 States Code) to provide assistance to veterans who 

24 are suffering from the effects of post-traumatic 

25 stress; 


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1 (5) encourages the leadership of the Armed 

2 Forces to support appropriate treatment of men and 

3 women of the Armed Forces who suffer from post4 traumatic stress; 

5 (6) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic 

6 stress on the spouses and families of members of the 

7 Armed Forces and veterans; and 

8 (7) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

9 the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to— 

10 (A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and 

11 (B) the Secretary of Defense. 

Æ 


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