[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 91 (Thursday, June 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S7607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS THAT 
  A COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP SHOULD BE ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES 
 POSTAL SERVICE HONORING THE MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO HAVE BEEN 
                        AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART

  Mr. ROBB submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs:

                             S Con. Res. 42

       Whereas Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit, 
     commonly known as the Purple Heart, is the oldest military 
     decoration in the world in present use;
       Whereas the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the 
     President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces 
     who are wounded in conflict with an enemy force or while held 
     by an enemy force as a prisoner of war, and posthumously to 
     the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces who are killed 
     in conflict with an enemy force or who die of a wound 
     received in conflict with an enemy force;
       Whereas the Purple Heart was established on August 7, 1782, 
     during the Revolutionary War, when General George Washington 
     issued an order establishing the Honorary Badge of 
     Distinction, otherwise known as the Badge of Military Merit 
     or the Decoration of the Purple Heart;
       Whereas the award of the Purple Heart ceased with the end 
     of the War of the Revolution, but was revived out of respect 
     for the memory and military achievements of George Washington 
     in 1932, the year marking the 200th anniversary of his birth; 
     and
       Whereas 1999 is the year marking the 200th anniversary of 
     the death of George Washington: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) a commemorative postage stamp should be issued by the 
     United States Postal Service honoring the members of the 
     Armed Forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart; and
       (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend 
     to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued in 
     1999, the year marking the 200th anniversary of the death of 
     George Washington.

 Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity 
to submit a resolution honoring our veterans that have earned the 
oldest military decoration in the world, the Purple Heart. This 
resolution expresses the Sense of the Congress that the U.S. Postal 
Service should issue a postage stamp honoring Purple Heart recipients.
  The Purple Heart was established by General George Washington in 1782 
as a badge of distinction for ``meritorious action.'' After the 
Revolutionary War, however, the Purple Heart was not awarded again 
until it was revived in 1932, the year marking the 200th anniversary of 
Washington's birth.
  Today, the Purple Heart is awarded to members of the U.S. armed 
forces who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the 
enemy. Additionally, it is awarded posthumously to next of kin in the 
name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in 
combat. This year, the 200th anniversary of George Washington's death, 
is a fitting time for the Postal Service to honor our Purple Heart 
recipients with a commemorative postage stamp. They deserve no 
less.

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