IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 455 

Expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2019 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 

2019, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 20, 2019 

Mr. PETERS (for himself and Mr. MAST) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 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 support for the designation of the month of June 

2019 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2019, as ‘‘National PostTraumatic Stress Injury 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; 

Whereas more than 2,770,000 members of the Armed Forces 

have deployed overseas since the events of September 11, 


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•HRES 455 IH 

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 injury, currently 

referred to in the ‘‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of 

Mental Disorders’’ as post-traumatic stress disorder (in 

this preamble referred to as ‘‘PTSD’’); 

Whereas men and women of the Armed Forces and veterans 

who served before September 11, 2001, remain at risk 

for post-traumatic stress injury; 

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 injury and the persistent 

stigma associated with mental health conditions; 

Whereas exposure to trauma during service in the Armed 

Forces can lead to post-traumatic stress injury; 


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•HRES 455 IH 

Whereas post-traumatic stress injury significantly increases 

the risk of anxiety, depression, suicide, homelessness, and 

drug- and alcohol-related disorders and deaths, especially 

if left untreated; 

Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress injury 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 

injury and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress injury, 

but many challenges remain; 

Whereas increased understanding of post-traumatic stress injury can help to 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 injury, including— 

(1) an examination of how post-traumatic stress injury is discussed in the United States; and 

(2) a recognition that post-traumatic stress injury is 

a common injury that is treatable; 

Whereas post-traumatic stress injury 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; 


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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 

Injury Awareness Month and a National Post-Traumatic 

Stress Injury Awareness Day will raise public awareness 

about issues related to post-traumatic stress injury, 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 House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Post3 Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month’’ and 

4 ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness 

5 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 injury; 

13 (3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Vet14 erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to foster 

15 cultural change around the issue of post-traumatic 


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1 stress injury, understanding that personal inter2 actions can save lives and advance treatment; 

3 (4) welcomes the efforts of the National Center 

4 for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of the Depart5 ment of Veterans Affairs and local Vet Centers (as 

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

7 States Code) to provide assistance to veterans who 

8 are suffering from the effects of post-traumatic 

9 stress injury; 

10 (5) encourages officers of the Armed Forces to 

11 support appropriate treatment of men and women of 

12 the Armed Forces who suffer from post-traumatic 

13 stress injury; 

14 (6) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic 

15 stress injury on the spouses and families of members 

16 of the Armed Forces and veterans; and 

17 (7) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the 

18 House transmit a copy of this resolution to the Sec19 retary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of De20 fense. 

Æ 


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