[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21748]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART

  Mr. TESTER. I ask unanimous consent that the Armed Services Committee 
be discharged from further consideration of S. Con. Res. 26 and the 
Senate proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the concurrent resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 26) recognizing the 
     75th anniversary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart 
     and commending recipients of the Purple Heart for their 
     courageous demonstrations of gallantry and heroism on behalf 
     of the United States.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. TESTER. I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be 
agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid 
upon the table en bloc, and that any statements relating thereto be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 26) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                             S. Con. Res. 26

       Whereas the Purple Heart is a combat decoration awarded to 
     members of the Armed Forces who are wounded by an instrument 
     of war wielded by the enemy;
       Whereas the Purple Heart is awarded posthumously to the 
     next of kin in the name of members of the Armed Forces who 
     are killed in action or die of wounds received in action;
       Whereas the Purple Heart was originally conceived as the 
     Badge of Military Merit by General George Washington on 
     August 7, 1782;
       Whereas 2007 marks the 225th anniversary of the Badge of 
     Military Merit, the predecessor of the Purple Heart;
       Whereas the practice of awarding the Purple Heart was 
     revived in 1932, the 200th anniversary of George Washington's 
     birth, out of respect for his memory and military 
     achievements;
       Whereas more than 1,535,000 Purple Hearts have been awarded 
     to members of the Armed Forces who fought in defense of 
     freedom and democracy in World War I, World War II, the 
     Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, 
     Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and 
     other expeditionary conflicts;
       Whereas approximately 550,000 recipients of the Purple 
     Heart are alive today;
       Whereas the organization known as the Military Order of the 
     Purple Heart was formed on October 19, 1932, for the 
     protection and mutual interest of members of the Armed Forces 
     who have received the Purple Heart; and
       Whereas the Military Order of the Purple Heart is composed 
     exclusively of recipients of the Purple Heart and is the only 
     veterans' service organization comprised strictly of combat 
     veterans: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) congratulates the Military Order of the Purple Heart on 
     its 75th anniversary as a national organization whose goals 
     are to preserve and sustain the honor of the Armed Forces;
       (2) commends all recipients of the Purple Heart for their 
     courageous demonstrations of gallantry and heroism on behalf 
     of the United States; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to take time 
     to learn about the Purple Heart and the honor, courage, and 
     bravery it symbolizes.

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