IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 542 
Expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2025 as ‘‘Na-
tional Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2025, 
as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 24, 2025 
Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. MAST, Mr. THOMPSON of Cali-
fornia, and Mr. MOULTON) 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 deter-
mined 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 
2025 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness 
Month’’ and June 27, 2025, as ‘‘National Post-Trau-
matic 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, health, and welfare of the people of 
the United States, and deserve the investment of every 
possible resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, 
and emotional well-being; 
Whereas nearly 2,800,000 members of the Armed Forces 
have deployed overseas since the events of September 11, 
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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 enduring traumatic combat stress; 
Whereas, when left untreated, exposure to traumatic combat 
stress can lead to severe and chronic post-traumatic 
stress responses, commonly referred to as post-traumatic 
stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, or post-traumatic 
stress injury; 
Whereas the Secretary of Veterans Affairs reports that ap-
proximately— 
(1) 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Oper-
ation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom 
suffer from severe or chronic post-traumatic stress re-
sponses; 
(2) 12 percent of veterans who served in the Persian 
Gulf war have post-traumatic stress in a given year; and 
(3) 30 percent of veterans who served in the Viet-
nam era have had post-traumatic stress in their lifetimes; 
Whereas the diagnosis known as post-traumatic stress dis-
order was initially formulated in 1980 by the American 
Psychiatric Association to describe and categorize the 
symptoms and behavioral complications of severe trau-
matic stress; 
Whereas the symptoms and behavioral complications of severe 
traumatic stress have historically been unjustly portrayed 
in the media, stigmatizing individuals living with post- 
traumatic stress; 
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Whereas electro-magnetic imaging has shown that severe 
traumatic stress causes physical changes in the brain; 
Whereas many post-traumatic stress responses remain unre-
ported, undiagnosed, and untreated due to— 
(1) a lack of awareness about post-traumatic stress 
and the persistent stigma associated with mental health 
conditions; and 
(2) a lack of access to mental health treatment; 
Whereas, without timely redress, traumatic stress responses 
can worsen over time and lead to severe consequences, in-
cluding self-harm; 
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, homelessness, substance abuse, 
and suicide, especially if left untreated; 
Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress have cre-
ated challenges for veterans seeking employment; 
Whereas the Department of Defense, the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, and veterans service organizations, as well 
as the larger medical community, both private and public, 
have made significant advances in the identification, pre-
vention, 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 to eliminate the 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 the recognition that post-traumatic 
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stress is often a reparable injury, and examination of how 
post-traumatic stress is portrayed by the media; 
Whereas timely and appropriate treatment of post-traumatic 
stress responses can diminish complications and prevent 
suicides; 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 re-
lated to post-traumatic stress, reduces the associated 
stigma, supports resilience, and helps ensure that those 
individuals suffering from the invisible wounds of war re-
ceive proper treatment: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Post- 
Traumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and ‘‘National 
Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day’’; 
(2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense, as well 
as the entire medical community, to educate mem-
bers of the Armed Forces, veterans, the families of 
members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and the 
public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of 
post-traumatic stress; 
(3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to foster 
cultural change around the issue of post-traumatic 
stress, understanding that personal interactions can 
save lives and advance treatment; 
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(4) encourages the leadership of the Armed 
Forces to support appropriate treatment of men and 
women of the Armed Forces who suffer from post- 
traumatic stress; and 
(5) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic 
stress on the spouses and families of members of the 
Armed Forces and veterans. 
Æ 
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