[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3970 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3970

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide that persons who have 
 been convicted of a capital crime may not be awarded the Purple Heart.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 1998

 Mr. McKeon (for himself and Mr. Stump) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on National Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide that persons who have 
 been convicted of a capital crime may not be awarded the Purple Heart.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DISQUALIFICATION FROM ELIGIBILITY FOR PURPLE HEART FOR 
              PERSONS CONVICTED OF CAPITAL CRIMES.

    (a) In General.--(1) Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1131. Persons convicted of capital crimes: disqualification from 
              eligibility for Purple Heart
    ``(a) Disqualification.--A person who has been convicted of a 
capital offense for which the person was sentenced to death or life 
imprisonment without parole may not be awarded the Purple Heart.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `capital offense' means an offense under 
        Federal or State law for which the death penalty may be 
        imposed.
            ``(2) The term `State' includes the District of Columbia 
        and any commonwealth or territory of the United States.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``1131. Persons convicted of capital crimes: disqualification from 
                            eligibility for Purple Heart.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Section 1131 of title 10, United States Code, 
as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to the award of 
the Purple Heart after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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