HR 157 — A Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to pass H.R. 1947, the Treatment and Relief through Emerging and Accessible Therapy for PTSD Act or similar legislation dealing with stellate ganglion block therapy to veterans and members of the armed forces of the United States with post-traumatic stress disorder, during the 119th United States Congress.

PRINTER'S NO.    1186

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 157
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY ZIMMERMAN, KRUPA, HAMM, FREEMAN, GUENST, JAMES,
        SCHEUREN, HADDOCK, NEILSON, SCHMITT, COOK, GILLEN AND
        K.HARRIS, MARCH 31, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
        OPERATIONS, MARCH 31, 2025


                               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, should it be reintroduced, or similar
 4      legislation dealing with stellate ganglion block therapy to
 5      veterans and members of the armed forces of the United States
 6      with post-traumatic stress disorder, during the 119th United
 7      States Congress.
 8      WHEREAS, H.R. 3023 directs the United States Secretary of
 9   Veterans Affairs and the United States Secretary of Defense to
10   furnish stellate ganglion block (SGB) therapy to veterans and
11   members of the armed forces of the United States with post-
12   traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and
13      WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
14   (VA) estimates that 23% of Operation Enduring Freedom and
15   Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans have received a diagnosis of
16   PTSD; and
17      WHEREAS, Older veterans are also impacted, with the VA
18   estimating that 12% of Gulf War veterans and 15% of Vietnam
19   veterans receive a PTSD diagnosis each year; and
 1      WHEREAS, Unfortunately, only 40% of veterans find relief from
 2   PTSD with current treatments; and
 3      WHEREAS, If left untreated, PTSD symptoms have a positive
 4   correlation with suicide risk; and
 5      WHEREAS, The lack of effective PTSD treatments directly
 6   contributes to the 20 veteran suicides the United States
 7   experiences each day; and
 8      WHEREAS, An SGB procedure injects an anesthetic agent on the
 9   stellate ganglion, a collection of nerves in the neck that
10   controls the activation of the "fight" or "flight" survival
11   reflex; and
12      WHEREAS, SGB is proven to alleviate common PTSD symptoms such
13   as hyperarousal, exaggerated startle responses and anxiety; and
14      WHEREAS, The procedure has been performed since the 1920s and
15   is considered low risk; and
16      WHEREAS, SGB was first recognized as a treatment for PTSD in
17   2008; and
18      WHEREAS, H.R. 3023 is supported by the Pennsylvania National
19   Guard Associations, the American Legion and behavioral health
20   clinicians; therefore be it
21      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
22   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
23   States to pass H.R. 3023, the Treatment and Relief through
24   Emerging and Accessible Therapy for PTSD Act, should it be
25   reintroduced, or similar legislation dealing with stellate
26   ganglion block therapy to veterans and members of the armed
27   forces of the United States with post-traumatic stress disorder,
28   during the 119th United States Congress; and be it further
29      RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
30   the President of the United States, the presiding officers of

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1   each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
2   Pennsylvania.




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