IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 506 
Expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2021 as ‘‘Na-
tional Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 
2021, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 28, 2021 
Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. MAST, Mr. MOULTON, Mrs. HARTZLER, Mrs. 
LURIA, Mr. WALTZ, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. CROW, Mr. KATKO, Ms. 
STEFANIK, and Mr. TRONE) 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 
2021 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Aware-
ness Month’’ and June 27, 2021, 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, 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; 
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Whereas nearly 2,800,000 members of the Armed Forces 
have deployed overseas since the events of September 11, 
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 disorder (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘PTSD’’) 
or post-traumatic stress injury; 
Whereas many men and women of the Armed Forces and vet-
erans who served before September 11, 2001, live with 
mental health needs from post-traumatic stress and re-
main at risk; 
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 post-traumatic stress responses remain unre-
ported, undiagnosed, and untreated due to a lack of 
awareness about post-traumatic stress and the persistent 
stigma associated with mental health conditions; 
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•HRES 506 IH 
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 as a 
mental health disorder creates unique challenges for vet-
erans 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 this mental 
health issue; 
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; 
Whereas post-traumatic stress can result from any number of 
stressors other than combat, including rape, sexual as-
sault, battery, torture, confinement, child abuse, car acci-
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dents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, natural dis-
asters, or global pandemics, and affects approximately 
8,000,000 adults in the United States annually; 
Whereas traumatic events such as the COVID–19 pandemic 
could increase the number of those impacted by or exac-
erbate the responses of post-traumatic stress; 
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 raises public awareness 
about issues related to post-traumatic stress, reduces the 
associated stigma, and helps ensure that those individuals 
suffering from the invisible wounds of war receive 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 
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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; 
(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; 
(5) 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; 
(6) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic 
stress 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-
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retary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of De-
fense. 
Æ 
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