[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 550 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 550

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

                            February 3, 1999

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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. PROHIBITION ON AWARD OF PURPLE HEART TO 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: prohibition of award 
              of 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: prohibition of award of 
                            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.
                                 <all>