HR0375 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0375 LRB095 12062 DRJ 35817 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, A significant growth in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been identified over the past few years with the escalation of combat veterans returning home from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts; nation-wide calls for more assistance for those returning with mental issues as a result of combat have been growing, and this resolution is in response to those calls; and

WHEREAS, As of January 2007, more than 1.6 million U.S. Servicemen and women had served in Afghanistan and Iraq; and

WHEREAS, In October 2005, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported that more than 430,000 U.S. soldiers have been discharged from the military following service in Afghanistan and Iraq; more than 119,000 have sought help for medical or mental health issues from the Department of Veterans Affairs to date; and

WHEREAS, In January 2006, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 35% of Iraq Veterans have already sought help for mental health concerns; a 2003 New England Journal of Medicine Study found that more than 60% of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans showing symptoms of PTSD were unlikely to seek help due to fears of stigmatization or loss of career advancement opportunities; and

WHEREAS, In 2005, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 18% of Afghanistan Veterans and 20% of Iraq Veterans in their care were suffering from some type of service-connected psychological disorder; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs has seen a tenfold increase in PTSD cases in 2006; according to the VA, more than 37,000 Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from mental health disorders, and more than 16,000 have already been diagnosed with PTSD; and

WHEREAS, According to the Army, since March 2003, at least 45 U.S. soldiers and 9 Marines have committed suicide in Iraq; at least 20 soldiers and 23 Marines have committed suicide since returning home, though exact numbers are not available; and

WHEREAS, The United States Congress is currently considering H.R. 612, H.R. 1538, S. 713, and H.R. 1268, which address the tragic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder situation among our returning veterans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that our returning veterans deserve the very best in healthcare, including mental care, and that both the Federal Government and State Governments must work together to provide this healthcare; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois wishes to be a model State for the medical care that we offer to our returning soldiers in joint partnership with the Federal Government; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Congress to act on H.R. 612, H.R. 1538, S. 713, and H.R. 1268 for the safety and well-being of our returning veterans who face mental illness caused by their fulfillment of their duties; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent to the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Illinois Congressional Delegation, and the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.