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S. 765Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)Passed Senate

Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act

Sponsored by David PerdueSen. David Perdue (R-GA)
Introduced March 29, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 2:25 PM UTC

The Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act amends 18 U.S.C. §704 to create a new criminal penalty for buying, selling, or otherwise trading Purple Heart medals that were awarded to active or former service members. It makes such conduct punishable by a fine, up to six months in prison, or both, unless a regulation specifically allows a sale by the medal’s original recipient. The bill also defines “willfully” and limits any regulations that might permit sales.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new subsection (e) to 18 U.S.C. §704 establishing a penalty—fine, up to six months imprisonment, or both—for anyone who willfully purchases, sells, trades, or otherwise deals in Purple Heart medals awarded to service members, except when authorized by regulation.
  • Allows regulations but bars them from authorizing the sale of any Purple Heart unless the sale is made by the member or former member who originally received the medal.
  • Defines “willfully” as a voluntary, intentional violation of a known legal duty.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

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

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

August 23, 2017

View full timeline
SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 29, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

March 29, 2017

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Judiciary Committee

August 3, 2017

SenateFloor

Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S4806)

August 3, 2017

SenateFloor

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

August 3, 2017

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

August 3, 2017

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

August 4, 2017 • 1:06 PM

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

August 4, 2017

HouseCommittee

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

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

August 23, 2017

Amendments

1 amendment

Offered to this bill

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 765 on the floor

1 Republican
David Perdue
Sen. David PerdueR-GA · Aug 3, 2017

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 765 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. Mr. President, I…

Record

Bill Text

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Referred in HouseIssued August 4, 2017

IC

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 765

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 4, 2017

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

AN ACT

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.

1.

Short title

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

2.

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.

3.

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

Section 704 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking Whoever and inserting Except as provided in subsection (e), whoever; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Purple heart

(1)

Penalty

Whoever willfully 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 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, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both.

(2)

Limitation on regulations

Regulations described 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, unless the sale is conducted by the member or former member to whom the Purple Heart was awarded.

(3)

Definition

In this subsection, the term willfully means the voluntary, intentional violation of a known legal duty.

.

Passed the Senate August 3, 2017.

Julie E. Adams,

Secretary