Purple Heart Family Equity Act of 2007

PURPLE HEART FAMILY EQUITY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - November 06, 2007)

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Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 1119, the Purple Heart Family Equity Act of 2007, provides an excellent opportunity for us to recognize and honor the brave women as well as brave men who served our Nation in the armed services.

As many of you know, the Purple Heart is awarded to Armed Forces members who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy, and posthumously to the next of kin for those who are killed in action or who die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration first conceived in 1782 by General George Washington.

Seventy-five years ago, an organization now known as the Military Order of the Purple Heart was formed for the purposes of protecting the mutual interests of all those who have received the decoration. Composed exclusively of Purple Heart recipients, it is the only veterans service organization comprised strictly of combat veterans.

When the order was federally chartered in 1958, however, very few women had received the Purple Heart. And to this day, women recipients of the Purple Heart do not have the same benefits as their male counterparts.

Under the current law, male members can invite their wives to join the Ladies Auxiliary of the Purple Heart, but there is no place in the order for husbands of Purple Heart recipients. The order has identified at least 97 female purple heart recipients who have joined and who are not enjoying the full benefits of membership that they deserve.

H.R. 1119 seeks to fully honor the women of the Armed Forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart defending our Nation. Specifically, the bill amends the order's Federal charter to allow members to invite their spouses to join as associate members, both for male and female recipients of the Purple Heart. With this minor revision to the Federal charter, the husbands of female members could join the organization.

This bill also allows members to invite their siblings to join as associate members so that they too can take part in the full honor of their brothers and sisters who fought so bravely for our country and received a Purple Heart. It is only right that we allow the members to include their siblings in this honor.

This bipartisan legislation is endorsed by the Military Order of the Purple Heart. It recognizes the important role women have played in defending our Nation in times of war.

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We owe this long overdue recognition to these women and their families. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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