[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 26, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S6930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 56--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF 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

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

                            S. Con. Res. 56

       Whereas the 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 Revolutionary War, 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 the issuance of a postage stamp commemorating the 
     members of the Armed Forces who have been awarded the Purple 
     Heart is a fitting tribute both to those members and to the 
     memory of George Washington: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the United States Postal Service should issue a postage 
     stamp commemorating 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 not 
     later than 1 year after the adoption of this resolution.

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President. I rise today to submit a concurrent 
resolution to express the sense of Congress that a commemorative 
postage stamp should be issued by the United States Postal Service 
honoring the members of the Armed Forces that have been awarded the 
Purple Heart.
  The Purple Heart, our nation's oldest military decoration, was 
originated by General George Washington in 1782 to recognize 
``instances of unusual gallantry.'' Referred to then as the Badge of 
Military Merit, the decoration was awarded only three times during the 
Revolutionary War.
  Following the war, the general order authorizing the ``Badge'' was 
misfiled for over 150 years until the War Department reactivated the 
decoration in 1932. The Army's then Adjutant General, Douglas 
MacArthur, succeeded in having the medal re-instituted in its modern 
form--to recognize the sacrifice our service members make when they go 
into harm's way.
  Both literally and figuratively, the Purple Heart is the world's most 
costly decoration. However, the 19 separate steps necessary to make the 
medal pale in comparison to the actions and heroics that so often lead 
to its award. The Department of Defense does not track the number of 
Purple Hearts awarded, but we do know that just over 500,000 of the 
veterans and military personnel that have received the medal are still 
living. And we also know that every single recipient served this 
country in one form or another; a good number of the awardees even made 
the ultimate sacrifice--giving their lives for the liberty and freedoms 
that we all enjoy and often take for granted.
  I am sure you will agree that these sacrifices deserve our respect 
and remembrance. This resolution, to express the sense of the Congress 
that a postage stamp honoring Purple Heart recipients should be issued 
by the U.S. Postal Service, is a fitting place to start. I urge my 
colleagues to support this effort to recognize those brave service 
members.

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