H.R. 544House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:55 AM UTC

The Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act would make it a crime to buy, sell, trade, or otherwise deal with a Purple Heart medal that was awarded to a current or former member of the U.S. armed forces. It adds a new penalty provision to Title 18 of the U.S. Code, targeting anyone who knowingly engages in such transactions.

Key Provisions

Amends 18 U.S.C. §704(a) to impose a fine and/or up to six months in prison on anyone who knowingly purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits, mails, ships, imports, exports, manufactures, sells, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges a Purple Heart or any imitation of it, unless authorized by law.
Specifies that regulations cannot permit the sale of any Purple Heart awarded to a service member or former service member.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

February 8, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 13, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 13, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

February 8, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 13, 2017

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 544

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 13, 2017

Mr. Cook (for himself, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Jenkins of Kansas, Mr. Poliquin, and Mr. Dunn) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for penalties for the sale of any Purple Heart awarded to a member of the Armed Forces.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

The Purple Heart medal solemnly recognizes the great and sometimes ultimate sacrifice of American servicemembers like Private Corrado Piccoli.

(2)

The Purple Heart medal holds a place of honor as the national symbol of this sacrifice and deserves special protections.

Penalty for sale of Purple Hearts awarded to members of the Armed Forces

Subsection (a) of section 704 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a)

In general

(1)

Penalty

Whoever knowingly purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt for, manufactures, sells, attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges for anything of value any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(2)

Limitation on regulations

Regulations referred to in paragraph (1) may not authorize the sale of any Purple Heart awarded to a member of the armed forces or former member of the armed forces by the Secretary of the military department concerned.