Full Text of HR0375 95th General Assembly
HR0375 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
HR0375 |
|
LRB095 12062 DRJ 35817 r |
|
| 1 |
| HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, A significant growth in Post-Traumatic Stress | 3 |
| Disorder (PTSD) has been identified over the past few years | 4 |
| with the escalation of combat veterans returning home from the | 5 |
| Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts; nation-wide calls for more | 6 |
| assistance for those returning with mental issues as a result | 7 |
| of combat have been growing, and this resolution is in response | 8 |
| to those calls; and
| 9 |
| WHEREAS, As of January 2007, more than 1.6 million U.S. | 10 |
| Servicemen and women had served in Afghanistan and Iraq; and
| 11 |
| WHEREAS, In October 2005, the U.S. Department of Veterans | 12 |
| Affairs reported that more than 430,000 U.S. soldiers have been | 13 |
| discharged from the military following service in Afghanistan | 14 |
| and Iraq; more than 119,000 have sought help for medical or | 15 |
| mental health issues from the Department of Veterans Affairs to | 16 |
| date; and
| 17 |
| WHEREAS, In January 2006, the Journal of the American | 18 |
| Medical Association reported that 35% of Iraq Veterans have | 19 |
| already sought help for mental health concerns; a 2003 New | 20 |
| England Journal of Medicine Study found that more than 60% of | 21 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans | 22 |
| showing symptoms of PTSD were unlikely to seek help due to |
|
|
|
HR0375 |
- 2 - |
LRB095 12062 DRJ 35817 r |
|
| 1 |
| fears of stigmatization or loss of career advancement | 2 |
| opportunities; and
| 3 |
| WHEREAS, In 2005, the Department of Veterans Affairs | 4 |
| reported that 18% of Afghanistan Veterans and 20% of Iraq | 5 |
| Veterans in their care were suffering from some type of | 6 |
| service-connected psychological disorder; and
| 7 |
| WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs has seen a | 8 |
| tenfold increase in PTSD cases in 2006; according to the VA, | 9 |
| more than 37,000 Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering | 10 |
| from mental health disorders, and more than 16,000 have already | 11 |
| been diagnosed with PTSD; and
| 12 |
| WHEREAS, According to the Army, since March 2003, at least | 13 |
| 45 U.S. soldiers and 9 Marines have committed suicide in Iraq; | 14 |
| at least 20 soldiers and 23 Marines have committed suicide | 15 |
| since returning home, though exact numbers are not available; | 16 |
| and | 17 |
| WHEREAS, The United States Congress is currently | 18 |
| considering H.R. 612, H.R. 1538, S. 713, and H.R. 1268, which | 19 |
| address the tragic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder situation | 20 |
| among our returning veterans; therefore, be it | 21 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
|
|
|
HR0375 |
- 3 - |
LRB095 12062 DRJ 35817 r |
|
| 1 |
| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 2 |
| our returning veterans deserve the very best in healthcare, | 3 |
| including mental care, and that both the Federal Government and | 4 |
| State Governments must work together to provide this | 5 |
| healthcare; and be it further
| 6 |
| RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois wishes to be a model | 7 |
| State for the medical care that we offer to our returning | 8 |
| soldiers in joint partnership with the Federal Government; and | 9 |
| be it further
| 10 |
| RESOLVED, That we urge Congress to act on H.R. 612, H.R. | 11 |
| 1538, S. 713, and H.R. 1268 for the safety and well-being of | 12 |
| our returning veterans who face mental illness caused by their | 13 |
| fulfillment of their duties; and be it further | 14 |
| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent | 15 |
| to the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the U.S. | 16 |
| Senate, the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the U.S. House | 17 |
| of Representatives, the Illinois Congressional Delegation, and | 18 |
| the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.
|
|