[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 678 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 678

   To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit desecration of 
                          Veterans' memorials.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 10, 1999

Mrs. Lowey (for herself, Mr. King, Mr. Shows, Mr. Horn, Mr. Bishop, Mr. 
LoBiondo, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Foley, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. 
 Holden, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. Filner, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. 
 Green of Texas, Mr. Traficant, Mr. Romero-Barcelo, Mr. Underwood, Mr. 
  Frost, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mrs. Thurman, Mr. Sandlin, Mr. Allen, Mr. 
Lantos, Mr. Stupak, Mr. Baldacci, Mr. Rangel, Mr. John, Mrs. Kelly, Mr. 
  Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Lampson, Ms. 
Rivers, Mr. Vento, Mr. Wynn, and Mrs. McCarthy of New York) 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, to prohibit desecration of 
                          Veterans' memorials.

    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 ``Veterans' Memorials Protection Act 
of 1999''.

SEC. 2. DESECRATION OF VETERANS' MEMORIALS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 65 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1368. Desecration of veterans' memorials
    ``(a) Whoever, in a circumstance described in subsection (b), 
willfully injures or commits any depredation against any structure, 
plaque, statue, or other monument on public property commemorating the 
service of any person or persons in the armed forces of the United 
States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 
years, or both, but if the damage or attempted damage does not exceed 
the sum of $1,000, the defendant shall be fined under this title or 
imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
    ``(b) The circumstance referred to in subsection (a) is that in 
committing the offense, the defendant travels or causes another to 
travel in interstate or foreign commerce, or uses the mail or an 
instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 65 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``1368. Desecration of veterans' memorials.''.
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