[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 18, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H5629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FORT HOOD HEROES ACT

  (Mr. CARTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, this is a nice evening to be introducing 
what I have to say. This Roll Call of Heroes is inspiring to any and 
all Americans, including myself.
  Yesterday I dropped into the hopper a bill entitled Fort Hood Heroes 
Act, H.R. 3111. This bill was introduced with 119 original cosponsors 
on a bipartisan basis.
  This bill declares the shooting that took place at Fort Hood an act 
of terrorism that should have been prevented and that Nidal Hasan was 
an Islamic extremist. The bill would award Purple Hearts to the 
soldiers who were killed or wounded in the attack, and award the 
Secretary of Defense Medal of Freedom to civilians who were killed or 
wounded in the attack.
  This bill would provide benefits to the victims of the attack who 
were killed or wounded and their families, deeming the killing or 
wounding to have occurred:
  For soldiers, in a combat zone and at the hands of an enemy of the 
United States;
  For civilian DOD employees, by hostile action while serving alongside 
the Armed Forces during a contingency operation and in a terrorist 
attack.
  The possible benefits they will receive will be:
  Combat-related special compensation;
  Maximum coverage under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance;
  Tax breaks after death in combat zone or terrorist attack;
  Special pay for subjection to hostile fire or imminent danger;
  Unearned portions of bonuses;
  Combat-related injury rehabilitation pay; and
  Meals at military treatment facilities.

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