119-sres322

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 322 Agreed to Senate

    (ATS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 322

 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-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 15, 2025

Mr. Sullivan (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. 
Budd, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. King, 
 Mr. Cramer, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Husted, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Justice, Mr. 
 Padilla, Ms. Collins, Mr. Mullin, and Mr. Kaine) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

 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-Traumatic 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, 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 approximately--

    (1) 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom 
or Operation Enduring Freedom suffer from severe or chronic post-traumatic 
stress responses;

    (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 Vietnam era have had post-
traumatic stress in their lifetimes;

Whereas the diagnosis known as post-traumatic stress disorder was initially 
 formulated in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association to describe 
 and categorize the symptoms and behavioral complications of severe 
 traumatic 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;
Whereas electro-magnetic imaging has shown that severe traumatic stress causes 
 physical changes in the brain;
Whereas many post-traumatic stress responses remain unreported, 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, including 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 created 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 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 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 related to post-traumatic stress, reduces the associated 
 stigma, supports resilience, and helps ensure that those individuals 
 suffering from the invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment: 
 Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) designates--
        (A) June 2025 as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress 
 Awareness Month''; and
        (B) June 27, 2025, as ``National Post-Traumatic 
 Stress Awareness Day'';

    (2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Veterans 
 Affairs and the Secretary of Defense, as well as the entire 
 medical community, to educate members 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 Veterans 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) 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.
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