PRINTER'S NO. 1755
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 311
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY PENNYCUICK, MASTRIANO, YAW, AUMENT, ROBINSON,
BARTOLOTTA, BROWN, CULVER AND DUSH, JUNE 24, 2024
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
JUNE 24, 2024
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging the Congress of the United States to pass H.R. 3023, the
2 Treatment and Relief through Emerging and Accessible Therapy
3 for PTSD Act.
4 WHEREAS, H.R. 3023 directs the United States Secretary of
5 Veterans Affairs and the United States Secretary of Defense to
6 furnish stellate ganglion block (SGB) therapy to veterans and
7 members of the armed forces of the United States with post-
8 traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and
9 WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
10 (VA) estimates that 23% of Operation Enduring Freedom and
11 Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans have received a diagnosis of
12 PTSD; and
13 WHEREAS, Older veterans are also impacted, with the VA
14 estimating that 12% of Gulf War veterans and 15% of Vietnam
15 veterans receive a PTSD diagnosis each year; and
16 WHEREAS, Unfortunately, only 40% of veterans find relief from
17 PTSD with current treatments; and
18 WHEREAS, If left untreated, PTSD symptoms have a positive
 1 correlation with suicide risk; and
2 WHEREAS, The lack of effective PTSD treatments directly
3 contributes to the 20 veteran suicides the United States
4 experiences each day; and
5 WHEREAS, An SGB procedure injects an anesthetic agent on the
6 stellate ganglion, a collection of nerves in the neck that
7 controls the activation of the "fight" or "flight" survival
8 reflex; and
9 WHEREAS, SGB is proven to alleviate common PTSD symptoms such
10 as hyperarousal, exaggerated startle responses and anxiety; and
11 WHEREAS, The procedure has been performed since the 1920s and
12 is considered low risk; and
13 WHEREAS, SGB was first recognized as a treatment for PTSD in
14 2008; and
15 WHEREAS, H.R. 3023 is supported by the Pennsylvania National
16 Guard Associations, the American Legion and behavioral health
17 clinicians; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the Senate urge the Congress of the United
19 States to pass H.R. 3023, the Treatment and Relief through
20 Emerging and Accessible Therapy for PTSD Act; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
22 the President of the United States, the presiding officers of
23 each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
24 Pennsylvania.
20240SR0311PN1755 - 2 -