First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II Declares Monthly Common Share Distribution of $0.045 Per Share for November

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20091020006752/en

WHEATON, Ill.--(Business Wire)--
First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II (the "Fund") (NYSE: FHY) has declared
the Fund`s regularly scheduled monthly common share distribution payable on
November 16, 2009 to shareholders of record as of November 4, 2009. The
ex-dividend date is expected to be November 2, 2009. The monthly distribution
and cash balance information for the Fund appears below.

First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II (FHY):
Distribution per share: $0.045
Distribution Rate based on the October 19, 2009 NAV of $4.61: 11.71%
Distribution Rate based on the October 19, 2009 closing market price of $4.30: 12.56%
Cash Balance on October 19, 2009: $658,306 or 1.50% of Net Assets

The tax character of the Fund`s fiscal year to date distributions, including
this distribution, will depend on the Fund`s investment experience during the
remainder of its fiscal year. However, based on information for the fiscal year
to date it is likely that the Fund`s distributions will include a return of
capital component for its current fiscal year. The final determination of the
source and tax status of all distributions paid in 2009 will be made after the
end of 2009.

The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company that seeks
to provide a high level of current income. As a secondary objective, the Fund
seeks to provide capital growth. The Fund pursues these investment objectives by
investing up to 100% of its managed assets in a diversified portfolio of
below-investment grade and investment grade debt securities and equity
securities that the investment sub-advisor believes offer attractive yield
and/or capital appreciation potential.

First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund`s investment advisor, along with its
affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P., are privately-held companies which
provide a variety of investment services, including asset management, financial
advisory services, and municipal and corporate investment banking, with
collective assets under management or supervision of over $24 billion as of
September 30, 2009 through closed-end funds, unit investment trusts, mutual
funds, separate managed accounts and exchange-traded funds.

Brookfield Investment Management Inc. (formerly, Hyperion Brookfield Asset
Management, Inc.), the Fund`s investment sub-advisor, is a registered investment
advisor that specializes in fixed income, high yield, structured products
(commercial mortgage-backed securities, residential mortgage-backed securities
and asset-backed securities) as well as global real estate investment trusts and
listed infrastructure securities. Headquartered in New York, the firm had
approximately $20 billion of assets under management as of October 1, 2009.
Brookfield Investment Management Inc. is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset
Management Inc., a global asset manager focused on property, power and other
infrastructure assets with approximately $80 billion of assets under management
as of September 30, 2009.

Past performance is no assurance of future results. Investment return and market
value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate. Shares, when sold, may be
worth more or less than their original cost.

Principal Risk Factors: Investment in this Fund involves investment and market
risk, management risk, sub-advisor risk, value investing risk, below-investment
grade securities risk, fixed-income securities risk, mortgage-backed securities
risk, asset-backed securities risk, convertible securities risk, municipal
securities risk, non-U.S. securities risk, non-U.S. government securities risk,
equity securities risk, currency risk, distressed securities risk, preferred
stock risk, inflation/deflation risk, market discount risk, leverage risk,
derivatives risk, market disruption risk, portfolio turnover risk, and
illiquid/restricted securities risk. The risks of investing in the Fund are
spelled out in the prospectus, shareholder report and other regulatory filings.

The Fund`s daily closing New York Stock Exchange price and net asset value per
share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by
calling 1-800-988-5891.

First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II
Press Inquiries: Jane Doyle, 630-765-8775
Analyst Inquiries: Jeff Margolin, 630-915-6784
Broker Inquiries: Jeff Margolin, 630-915-6784

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