IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 443 

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for members of 

the Armed Forces and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and 

their families and urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 

Secretary of Defense to improve the services and support available to 

such members, veterans, and families. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 14, 2009 

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin (for herself, Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia, Ms. 

CLARKE, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. 

MCDERMOTT, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. KILPATRICK

of Michigan, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. KAGEN, and Mr. EDWARDS of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for 

members of the Armed Forces and veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and their families and urging 

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 

Defense to improve the services and support available 

to such members, veterans, and families. 

Whereas more than 1,000,000 members of the United States 

Armed Forces have already served in ongoing operations 


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in Iraq and Afghanistan, including members of the National Guard and Reserves; 

Whereas in Afghanistan and Iraq, members of the Armed 

Forces have engaged in intense and prolonged combat, 

placing them at risk for developing post-traumatic stress 

disorder (PTSD) or other mental health conditions; 

Whereas according to a Government Accountability Office report, PTSD can occur after experiencing or witnessing a 

life-threatening event and is the most prevalent mental 

health disorder resulting from combat; 

Whereas early identification and treatment of symptoms of 

PTSD through education, peer and family support, therapy, or medications may lessen the severity of the condition and improve overall quality of life for those with 

PTSD; 

Whereas family members of members of the Armed Forces 

make numerous sacrifices and are an integral part of the 

support network available to the Nation’s warriors and 

veterans; 

Whereas it has been recognized that the ongoing conflicts in 

Iraq and Afghanistan have placed unique stresses on the 

families of members of the Armed Forces due to lengthy 

and repeated deployments and the high incidence of casualties; 

Whereas the House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 162 in November 2007, which noted that 

there are more than 3,000,000 family members and other 

dependents of those serving on active duty and in the Reserve Component, that nearly 50 percent of the members 

of the Armed Forces who are deployed away from their 

permanent duty stations have left families with children 


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behind, and that over 50 percent of the members of the 

Armed Forces who are currently deployed in Iraq are 

married; 

Whereas the House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 181 in September 2007 which recognized 

that the families of members of the Armed Forces, and 

in particular their children, provide unconditional love 

and support to their loved ones serving in the Armed 

Forces before, during, and after their deployment; 

Whereas the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 265 in April 2008 recognizing that children of members of the Armed Forces too share in the burden of protecting the Nation and are a source of pride and honor 

to all Americans and it is fitting that the Nation recognize their contributions and celebrate their spirit; 

Whereas House Resolution 265 urged Americans to join with 

the military community in observing the ‘‘National 

Month of the Military Child’’ with appropriate ceremonies 

and activities that honor, support, and thank military 

children; 

Whereas, on July 15, 2008, the House of Representatives 

passed House Concurrent Resolution 295 expressing appreciation to families of members of the Armed Forces 

and recognizing that they too bear the burdens of war; 

Whereas the Department of Defense June 2007 Mental 

Health Task Force report noted that ‘‘The well-being of 

service members is inextricably linked to the well-being of 

their families. Frequent redeployments may strain even 

the strongest family bonds. In this era of instant communication, the service member remains in constant contact 

with his or her family . . . Thus, a world-class military 


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mental health system ensures optimal mental health 

among not only service members but also family members.’’; 

Whereas while families can play a critical role in veterans’ readjustment through support, family members who are 

suffering as a result of the long separations and multiple 

and extended tours of duty, and in some cases by their 

own experience with depression or anxiety, may not have 

the capacity to provide that needed support; 

Whereas of the approximately 300,000 veterans of Operation 

Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom who 

have accessed Department of Veterans Affairs health 

care, over 40 percent have presented mental health concerns, including PTSD, substance abuse, and mood disorders; 

Whereas millions of other veterans from previous wars also 

continue to suffer the effects of PTSD and to seek treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs; 

Whereas PTSD has been associated with severe, pervasive 

negative effects that affect the whole family and not just 

the veteran including impacts on marital adjustment, 

family functioning, and the mental health of partners, 

which are reflected in part by rates of separation, divorce, and interpersonal violence; 

Whereas a number of reports have noted that the effects of 

post-combat mental and cognitive conditions can adversely affect those closest to the veteran, as family member of veterans with PTSD may be faced with a number 

of strains from managing the person’s symptoms, dealing 

with crises, loss of friends, or loss of intimacy; 


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Whereas the RAND Corporation’s Invisible Wounds of War 

report noted that with respect to PTSD, ‘‘there is extensive evidence that secondary traumatizing—a situation in 

which the intimate partners of trauma survivors themselves begin to experience symptoms of trauma—occurs 

and has serious negative consequences for the emotional 

and psychological well-being of the spouses of veterans 

with PTSD . . . Thus the brunt of the burden of 

servicemembers with PTSD appears to fall on the people 

who are most intimate with those individuals—their 

wives.’’; 

Whereas the study further reported that compared with the 

wives of other veterans, wives of veterans with either of 

the disorders (post-concussion syndrome or PTSD), experience significantly higher levels of distress and psychiatric symptoms; 

Whereas the Special Committee on PTSD of the Department 

of Veterans Affairs advised in February 2006 that the 

‘‘VA needs to proceed with a broad understanding of post 

deployment mental health issues’’ and that ‘‘Because virtually all returning veterans and their families face readjustment problems, it makes sense to provide universal 

interventions that include education and support for veterans and their families coupled with screening and 

triage for the minority of veterans and families who will 

need further intervention’’; 

Whereas while spouses, children, and parents of veterans with 

mental health care needs are affected by the condition of 

their family members who served in the Armed Forces, 

many may not have access to the variety of treatment 

services that are available to veterans at facilities of the 


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Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of 

Defense; 

Whereas the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 

Representatives has held a number of hearings to explore 

ways to help the family members of the Nation’s veterans 

access needed health care services through the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities; and 

Whereas Congress recognizes that it is important to support 

the needs of families of members of the Armed Forces, 

especially those diagnosed with PTSD or other mental 

health conditions: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports increasing efforts to allow the 

3 spouses and family members of veterans, including 

4 soldiers killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, to 

5 receive needed counseling services at Department of 

6 Veterans Affairs facilities; 

7 (2) encourages the Secretary of Veterans Af8 fairs and the Secretary of Defense to develop pro9 grams for veterans with PTSD that include and 

10 treat the whole family, including by offering training 

11 and counseling for coping, intervention, resiliency, 

12 and overcoming adversities; 

13 (3) believes that such a holistic approach would 

14 include families, as deemed appropriate by the Sec15 retary of Veterans Affairs, in mental health coun16 seling and programs provided by the Department of 


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1 Veterans Affairs to the maximum extent possible 

2 and appropriate; 

3 (4) calls on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 

4 the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other ap5 propriate Federal agencies to increase resources 

6 available for family and friends of veterans who are 

7 suffering from PTSD and to continue to build up 

8 programs and initiatives to educate and support all 

9 veterans and their families seeking care for combat10 related PTSD; 

11 (5) urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and 

12 the Secretary of Defense to increase access to coun13 seling and other mental health services to family 

14 members of veterans, including the family members 

15 of members of the Armed Forces killed in Iraq and 

16 Afghanistan, as part of the comprehensive plan for 

17 preventing, diagnosing, treating, and responding to 

18 traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress dis19 order, and other mental health conditions in mem20 bers of the Armed Forces as required by the Na21 tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

22 2008 (Public Law 110–181); 

23 (6) urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 

24 collaborate with the Department of Defense center 

25 of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, 


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1 treatment, and rehabilitation of PTSD and other 

2 mental health conditions, established pursuant to 

3 section 1622 of the Wounded Warrior Act (title XVI 

4 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 

5 Year 2008; Public Law 110–181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 

6 note), to develop and implement effective strategies 

7 to educate and reach out to the families of members 

8 of the Armed Forces with PTSD, to develop pro9 grams to mitigate the negative impacts of PTSD on 

10 these family members, to conduct research on the 

11 mental health needs of these families in order to 

12 guide protocols to address identified needs, and to 

13 better support the recovery of members of the 

14 Armed Forces and veterans with PTSD through 

15 strengthening the ability of family members to meet 

16 those needs; 

17 (7) requests that the Secretary of Veterans Af18 fairs and the Secretary of Defense to submit to Con19 gress a list of statutory barriers that prevent each 

20 department from expanding access to mental health 

21 counseling services for family members of veterans, 

22 including recommendations for legislative remedies; 

23 and 

24 (8) urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 

25 aggressively work with Congress, veterans service orVerDate Nov 24 2008 04:31 May 15, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR443.IH HR443

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1 ganizations, and others, including through partner2 ships with nonprofit veterans groups working to 

3 meet the mental health needs of our military mem4 bers and their families, to determine how to best 

5 meet the needs of veterans and their family mem6 bers. 

Æ 


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