Stolen Valor Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)

[darrels joy]

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



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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.'.

[phuloi]

Good idea!Perhaps this could be a step in the right direction in order to preserve the valor of our latest generation of warriors.Making wannabe-ism a crime might even curtail the boisterous activity of some of the pretend heroes of our war.
I support this bill.

[Jerry D]

Sounds good to me too

[SuperScout]

Sadly, the penalties of this bill can't be applied retroactively. We probably all know some wannabee who has abused the letter and the spirit of the proposed law, and needs to be shamed publicly, if nothing else.

[phuloi]

Would tar and feathers qualify as public shame?

[BLUEHAWK]

It's a shame this has to be made into law, but it does.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

You can get anything you want: http://www.usmedals.com/medals.html?s=army&p=vietnam One thing about it is you can't get medals awarded you from foreign governments from the US military. You have to buy them, i.e., Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

[SuperScout]

Tar and feathers is a good start! After that, we'll really put on an example of public shame..........

[Keith_Hixson]

I guess I can't wear my purple golf ball award for breaking my arm playing golf last year. But, at least I can wear my other medals.

Keith

In all seriousness this is a good law. However, these borderline personalities, wanna bees won't figure it out. They'll be let off the hook because they are mentally diminished and don't understand what they are doing is illegal.

[Arrow]

In all seriousness this is a good law. However, these borderline personalities, wanna bees won't figure it out. They'll be let off the hook because they are mentally diminished and don't understand what they are doing is illegal.

Boy Howdy on that Pastor Keith! They either don't understand or don't care. Have I got a tale to tell on all that but won't do it on a public forum.Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.

Arrow>>>>>>>>