06.25.18

Senate Passes Resolution Hoeven Helped Introduce To Designate June 27 As “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day”

Resolution Honors Life of North Dakota National Guard Member, Also Designates June as “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month”

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that the Senate has passed bipartisan legislation he helped introduce to designate June 27 as “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day.” The resolution, which is sponsored by Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), also designates the month of June as “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month.” 

“Post-Traumatic Stress is a devastating condition for those suffering from it as well as for their loved ones who grapple with PTSD’s effects,” Hoeven said. “In passing this resolution, we reaffirm our commitment to finding treatments to help our servicemembers, veterans and their families as they deal with this injury. We will not abandon the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line for our country, and we will continue to support efforts to prevent and treat Post-Traumatic Stress.”

In 2010, former North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad led the Senate in designating the first PTSD Awareness Day. The resolution honored the legacy of North Dakota Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Joe Biel who suffered from PTSD and, after returning home to North Dakota from his second tour of duty in Iraq, took his life in April 2007. Staff Sgt. Biel’s birthday, June 27, was chosen to mark “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day.”

In addition to Hoeven, the legislation was cosponsored by Senators Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-N.H.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Christopher Coons (D-Del.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Robert Casey (D-Penn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Angust King (I-Maine), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).           

Individuals interested in learning more about PTSD can visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD at http://www.ptsd.va.gov/. If you or a loved one need help, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 and can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.

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