HR 3352 IH
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3352
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to protections for the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2005
Mr. SALAZAR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to protections for the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Stolen Valor Act of 2005'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) fraudulent claims surrounding receipt of the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished-Service Cross, the Air Force Cross, the Navy Cross, the Purple Heart, or any other medal or decoration awarded by Congress or the armed forces damage the reputation and meaning of these medals;
(2) Federal law enforcement officers are currently limited in their ability to prosecute fraudulent claims of receipt of military medals; and
(3) changes to the current statute are necessary to allow law enforcement personnel to protect the reputation and meaning of these medals.
SEC. 3. MILITARY MEDAL PROTECTIONS.
Section 704 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting `purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt,' after `wears'; and
(B) by inserting `attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters or exchanges for anything of value' after `sells';
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting `or (b)' after `subsection (a)'
(3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
(4) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
`(b) False Claims About Receipt of Military Medals- Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.'; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Other Medals- If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) or (b) is a Distinguished Service Cross awarded under Section 3742 of title 10, an Air Force Cross awarded under section 8742 of section 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, or a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, or any replacement or duplicate medal as authorized by statute, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.'.
The greatest threat to the sanctity and significance of the Purple Heart comes from the medal's easy availability. Anyone can buy one at flea markets, pawnshops or on the Internet, where Web sites offer the decoration, no questions asked, for as little as $35. An accompanying certificate on onion skin parchment and personalized with your name and any rank you choose costs about $25.
Such commerce in the symbols of American courage and sacrifice would be outlawed by a measure spearheaded last July by Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo. His "Stolen Valor Act" would make it a federal crime to falsely wear the Purple Heart and other top military decorations, or to even list them on a resume if they were not officially earned.
But the proposed bill now sits in the House Judiciary Committee, and its fate remains unclear. "We're waiting for the committee to act," said Salazar
PING
The book "Stolen Valor" was unbelievable! I highly recommend reading it!
Stolen Valor Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)
HR 3352 IH
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3352
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to protections for the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2005
Mr. SALAZAR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to protections for the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Stolen Valor Act of 2005'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) fraudulent claims surrounding receipt of the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished-Service Cross, the Air Force Cross, the Navy Cross, the Purple Heart, or any other medal or decoration awarded by Congress or the armed forces damage the reputation and meaning of these medals;
(2) Federal law enforcement officers are currently limited in their ability to prosecute fraudulent claims of receipt of military medals; and
(3) changes to the current statute are necessary to allow law enforcement personnel to protect the reputation and meaning of these medals.
SEC. 3. MILITARY MEDAL PROTECTIONS.
Section 704 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting `purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt,' after `wears'; and
(B) by inserting `attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters or exchanges for anything of value' after `sells';
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting `or (b)' after `subsection (a)'
(3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
(4) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
`(b) False Claims About Receipt of Military Medals- Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.'; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Other Medals- If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) or (b) is a Distinguished Service Cross awarded under Section 3742 of title 10, an Air Force Cross awarded under section 8742 of section 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, or a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, or any replacement or duplicate medal as authorized by statute, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.'.
1 posted on 01/18/2006 8:24:40 PM PST by Calpernia
Ref: The purple hearts they gave out to the patrol that was captured by Albanians during the Bosnian dustup.
Purple heart medals are not supposed to be given for being captured.
That should have been done a long time ago.
Very interesting on who's missing. Let's get the word out.
`(b) False Claims About Receipt of Military Medals- Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.'; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Other Medals- If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) or (b) is a Distinguished Service Cross awarded under Section 3742 of title 10, an Air Force Cross awarded under section 8742 of section 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, or a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, or any replacement or duplicate medal as authorized by statute, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
I wonder if Sen. Harkin will support this bill. He is highlighted in the book Stolen Valor as someone who lied about serving in combat when he never did.
I don't believe the author of this bill is a veteran. Why would a non veteran author this bill and more importantly, why hasn't a veteran in congress thought of it yet?
What about people who got medals that do not exist like Senator Kerry?
ping
Wonderful news. I hope it passes and is enforced.
Nice bill but it looks like it's not going anywhere.
Along with John Kerry, John Murtha comes to mind. It is ironic how Democrats seem to pick tainted ex-vets to represent them as they try to take the high ground militarily.
And what is the penalty for throwing medals over the fence at the US Capital and falsely claiming they were earned by the thrower?
Has Congressman Murtha weighed in on this bill? Or is he too busy stealing valor from Iraq war vets by telling everyone how wrong the war is?
BTTT
PING every list you have!
Write every real Conservative Senator and Representative.
Spread the word far and wide.
This is a no brainer, conservatives control Congress
and the White House
What is going on with this?
The HOUSE passed the Stolen Valor Act, it has been sent to the White House for the POTUS signature.