Expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2026 as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month" and June 27, 2026, as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day".

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1396 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1396

  Expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2026 as
 ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month'' and June 27, 2026,
          as ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 29, 2026

  Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Bergman, Ms. Norton, Mr. Moulton, Mr.
 Mast, Mr. Thompson of California, Ms. McDonald Rivet, Mr. McCormick,
   and Mr. Mackenzie) 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 2026 as
 ``National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month'' and June 27, 2026,
          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 3,500,000 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 an
        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 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 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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