By: Landgraf (Senate Sponsor - Campbell) H.C.R. No. 148
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2019;
  May 7, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
  Affairs & Border Security; May 17, 2019, reported favorably by the
  following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 17, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 
  WHEREAS, The veterans of the armed forces of the United
  States experience post-traumatic stress disorder and commit
  suicide at rates far higher than the general population; and
         WHEREAS, The men and women who bear arms in our defense
  regularly face traumatic situations that are not necessarily unique
  to military life but are certainly more prevalent, ranging from
  violent and life-threatening experiences to sexual harassment and
  assault; and
         WHEREAS, Between 7 and 8 percent of the general population
  experience PTSD at some point in their lives, but veterans are
  afflicted at rates that range from 12 percent for those who took
  part in the Gulf War to between 11 and 20 percent for veterans of
  Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; approximately 15
  percent of Vietnam veterans are currently diagnosed with PTSD, and
  nearly a third of them have experienced the condition over the
  course of their lifetimes; and
         WHEREAS, The aftermath of trauma can manifest itself as
  depression, outbursts of anger, and substance abuse, but the most
  tragic consequence is suicide; from 2008 to 2016, more than 6,000
  veterans each year took their own lives; moreover, in 2016, the
  suicide rate for veterans was 26.1 per 100,000 as opposed to 17.4
  for non-veteran adults, when adjusted for age and gender; and
         WHEREAS, Suicide and other consequences of PTSD affect not
  only the veterans themselves, but also their families, friends, and
  communities; in an effort to address this urgent problem, the U.S.
  Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the
  Department of Homeland Security, the National Action Alliance for
  Suicide Prevention, and many veterans and private sector
  organizations are working to expand treatment and prevention
  services; these initiatives can be furthered by increasing public
  awareness of the issue and by engaging the active support of a broad
  spectrum of concerned citizens; and
         WHEREAS, Americans owe those men and women who sacrificed so
  much on our behalf an eternal debt of gratitude, and it is essential
  that our veterans receive the assistance they need to enhance their
  well-being and their ability to live long and fulfilling lives;
  now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby designate June as Veteran Suicide and PTSD Awareness Month;
  and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section
  391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect
  until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally
  passed by the legislature.
 
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