IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 455 
Expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2019 as ‘‘Na-
tional 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 provi-
sions 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 Aware-
ness Month’’ and June 27, 2019, as ‘‘National Post- 
Traumatic 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 well- 
being; 
Whereas more than 2,770,000 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 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 ap-
proximately— 
(1) 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Oper-
ation 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 Viet-
nam 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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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 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 
injury and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress injury, 
but many challenges remain; 
Whereas increased understanding of post-traumatic stress in-
jury 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 in-
jury 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 com-
monly and more accurately understand and treat vet-
erans who had endured severe traumatic combat stress; 
Whereas the word ‘‘disorder’’ perpetuates the stigma associ-
ated 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, re-
duce the associated stigma, and help 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 Injury Awareness Month’’ and 
‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury 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 injury; 
(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 
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stress injury, understanding that personal inter-
actions can save lives and advance treatment; 
(4) welcomes the efforts of the National Center 
for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs and local Vet Centers (as 
defined in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United 
States Code) to provide assistance to veterans who 
are suffering from the effects of post-traumatic 
stress injury; 
(5) encourages officers of the Armed Forces to 
support appropriate treatment of men and women of 
the Armed Forces who suffer from post-traumatic 
stress injury; 
(6) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic 
stress injury on the spouses and families of members 
of the Armed Forces and veterans; and 
(7) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the 
House transmit a copy of this resolution to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of De-
fense. 
Æ 
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