Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the Chairs of the House and Senate committees on Homeland Security, introduced legislation Wednesday that would allow the military to award Purple Hearts to service members harmed during domestic terrorist attacks committed by American-born extremists.
The bill is a response to 2009s deadly Fort Hood shooting as well as a drive by shooting by a self-described jihadist outside of a military recruitment station in Little Rock, Arkansas.
“Congress has historically acted to ensure that the recognition we award to our servicemembers keeps pace with the threats they face,” Lieberman said in a statement. “We must face the reality that radicalized individuals and groups within the United States have targeted and will continue to target our men and women in uniform.”
In 1973, Army guidelines for Purple Heart recipients were updated to include those killed or wounded “as the result of an international terrorist attack.” The lawmakers say that the legislation will remove the emphasis on “international.”
