S.Amdt. 4080

SA 4080. Ms. HEITKAMP submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by her to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal

[[Page S3060]]

year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:

At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

SEC. 764. STUDY ON ELIMINATING STIGMA AND IMPROVING TREATMENT
OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AMONG MEMBERS
OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS.

(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall jointly conduct a study on
eliminating the stigma and improving the treatment of post-
traumatic stress disorder among members of the Armed Forces
and veterans.
(2) Consultation.--In conducting the study required by
paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall consult with individuals with relevant
experience relating to post-traumatic stress disorder, the
treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, and the impact
of post-traumatic stress disorder on members of the Armed
Forces, veterans, and their families, including the following
individuals:
(A) Representatives of military service organizations.
(B) Representatives of veterans service organizations.
(C) Health professionals with experience in treating
members of the Armed Forces and veterans with mental illness,
including those health professionals who work for the Federal
Government and those who do not.
(3) Elements.--In conducting the study required by
paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall assess the following:
(A) The feasibility and advisability of strategies to
improve the treatment of the full spectrum of post-traumatic
stress disorder among members of the Armed Forces and
veterans.
(B) The feasibility and advisability of strategies to
eliminate the stigma attached to post-traumatic stress
disorder among members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and the
public in general.
(C) The impact of the term ``disorder'' on the stigma
attached to post-traumatic stress disorder among members of
the Armed Forces and veterans, including the impact of
dropping the term ``disorder'' or replacing it with the term
``injury'', when medically appropriate, when referring to
post-traumatic stress disorder.
(D) Whether using the term ``disorder'' is the most
accurate way to describe post-traumatic stress disorder in
instances in which members of the Armed Forces and veterans
have experienced traumatic events but have not been formally
diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
(E) Whether there is a need to update the VA/DOD Clinical
Practice Guideline for Management of Post-Traumatic Stress
published by the Department of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
(F) Whether there is a need to encourage commanders in the
Armed Forces to support appropriate treatment for members of
the Armed Forces who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress
disorder.
(G) Whether there is a need to update information provided
to members of the Armed Forces and veterans, including
information on Internet websites of the Department of Defense
or the Department of Veterans Affairs, on post-traumatic
stress disorder to eliminate the stigma and more accurately
describe the medical conditions for which members of the
Armed Forces and veterans are receiving treatment.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of
the study required by subsection (a), including
recommendations for any actions that the Department of
Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs can take to
eliminate the stigma and improve the treatment of post-
traumatic stress disorder among members of the Armed Forces
and veterans.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Defense of the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Defense of the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(2) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans
service organization'' means an organization recognized by
the Secretary for the representation of veterans under
section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
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