PTSD Awareness Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the millions of men and women from the Armed Forces who are living with or who have died from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. June is PTSD Awareness Month.

In my home State of Montana, nearly 15,000 veterans, or 15 percent of the population of all veterans, suffer from PTSD. PTSD, no doubt, is a serious condition that touches every aspect of a person's life. Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide nationwide. Many of them struggle to live with PTSD. Many of our veterans who live with PTSD struggle to transition to civilian life because they have not been given essential resources in the care they need at VA hospitals and clinics or from their local communities.

I urge the Veterans Health Administration and local communities to work together to do everything we can to combat this epidemic.

God bless America and the men and women who serve and defend her.

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