Toomey, Casey introduce bill to honor Purple Heart recipients The Purple Heart medal from the US government (John Kuntz, cleveland.com/TNS)
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey Wednesday said the brave men and women who received the Purple Heart selflessly put themselves in harms’ way and paid a substantial price — some paying with their lives.
Sen. Toomey (R-PA), and Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), have introduced legislation to honor recipients of the Purple Heart Medal by requiring the Department of Defense to include the names of certain Purple Heart recipients on its military awards website.
Purple Heart recipients would have the option to voluntarily include themselves on the website.
“Recipients of this award — the military’s oldest award — deserve thanks and recognition for their service and sacrifice,” Toomey said. “I appreciate Sen. Casey joining me in introducing the Honoring Purple Heart Recipients Act to better honor these heroes.”
Sen. Casey added, “We have an obligation to the brave men and women who have served their country and recognition of their sacrifices is the least we can do to begin to repay the Nation’s debts to them. I’m proud to work with Sen. Toomey to introduce this legislation and give our Purple Heart veterans the recognition they deserve.”
Toomey and Casey said 2022 marks the 240th anniversary of the establishment of the precursor to the Purple Heart — the Badge of Military Merit — by George Washington in 1782. This year also marks the 90th anniversary of the re-established Purple Heart award.
Senators Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, Jon Tester, D-Montana, Steve Daines, R-Montana, Angus King, I-Maine, Rick Scott, R-Florida, and Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, are original co-sponsors of the Honoring Purple Heart Recipients Act of 2022.
Several organizations have voiced support for the Honoring Purple Heart Recipients Act of 2022, including the National Flag Foundation, Military Order of the Purple Heart, American Legion, Marine Corps League, Gold Star Mothers, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
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