Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HCR148 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.C.R. No. 148
	1	+	By: Landgraf (Senate Sponsor - Campbell) H.C.R. No. 148
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2019;
	3	+	May 7, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
	4	+	Affairs & Border Security; May 17, 2019, reported favorably by the
	5	+	following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 17, 2019, sent to printer.)
	6	+	Click here to see the committee vote
2	7
3	8
4	9		HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
5	10		WHEREAS, The veterans of the armed forces of the United
6	11		States experience post-traumatic stress disorder and commit
7	12		suicide at rates far higher than the general population; and
8	13		WHEREAS, The men and women who bear arms in our defense
9	14		regularly face traumatic situations that are not necessarily unique
10	15		to military life but are certainly more prevalent, ranging from
11	16		violent and life-threatening experiences to sexual harassment and
12	17		assault; and
13	18		WHEREAS, Between 7 and 8 percent of the general population
14	19		experience PTSD at some point in their lives, but veterans are
15	20		afflicted at rates that range from 12 percent for those who took
16	21		part in the Gulf War to between 11 and 20 percent for veterans of
17	22		Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; approximately 15
18	23		percent of Vietnam veterans are currently diagnosed with PTSD, and
19	24		nearly a third of them have experienced the condition over the
20	25		course of their lifetimes; and
21	26		WHEREAS, The aftermath of trauma can manifest itself as
22	27		depression, outbursts of anger, and substance abuse, but the most
23	28		tragic consequence is suicide; from 2008 to 2016, more than 6,000
24	29		veterans each year took their own lives; moreover, in 2016, the
25	30		suicide rate for veterans was 26.1 per 100,000 as opposed to 17.4
26	31		for non-veteran adults, when adjusted for age and gender; and
27	32		WHEREAS, Suicide and other consequences of PTSD affect not
28	33		only the veterans themselves, but also their families, friends, and
29	34		communities; in an effort to address this urgent problem, the U.S.
30	35		Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the
31	36		Department of Homeland Security, the National Action Alliance for
32	37		Suicide Prevention, and many veterans and private sector
33	38		organizations are working to expand treatment and prevention
34	39		services; these initiatives can be furthered by increasing public
35	40		awareness of the issue and by engaging the active support of a broad
36	41		spectrum of concerned citizens; and
37	42		WHEREAS, Americans owe those men and women who sacrificed so
38	43		much on our behalf an eternal debt of gratitude, and it is essential
39	44		that our veterans receive the assistance they need to enhance their
40	45		well-being and their ability to live long and fulfilling lives;
41	46		now, therefore, be it
42	47		RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas
43	48		hereby designate June as Veteran Suicide and PTSD Awareness Month;
44	49		and, be it further
45	50		RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section
46	51		391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect
47	52		until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally
48	53		passed by the legislature.
49		-	Landgraf
50		-	Flynn
51		-	Miller
52		-	Tinderholt
53		-	Blanco
54		-	______________________________ ______________________________
55		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
56		-	I certify that H.C.R. No. 148 was adopted by the House on May
57		-	3, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 1, 2 present, not
58		-	voting.
59		-	______________________________
60		-	Chief Clerk of the House
61		-	I certify that H.C.R. No. 148 was adopted by the Senate on May
62		-	22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
63		-	______________________________
64		-	Secretary of the Senate
65		-	APPROVED: __________________
66		-	Date
67		-	__________________
68		-	Governor
	54	+	* * * * *