Senator Clinton: Purple Heart Stamp to be Reissued

Thank you H.Clinton..Outstanding job
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Senator Clinton: Purple Heart Stamp to be Reissued

Clinton Set Up Online Petition Calling for Stamp to Remain


Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced a major victory for supporters of the Purple Heart Stamp with the news that the U.S. Postal Service will continue to print the stamp despite the recent rate change. The Postal Service made the announcement late this afternoon.

“This is wonderful news for all the recipients of the Purple Heart and all the supporters of this important and historic stamp. There was clearly a tremendous amount of public support for keeping this stamp in circulation, so I am thrilled that the Postal Service will continue to issue it,” Senator Clinton said. “This stamp honors those men and women in uniform who have made tremendous sacrifices in the defense of our nation. I am glad that we will continue to see it printed in their honor.”

"This is great news for recipients of the Purple Heart Medal, past and present and their families. It is especially timely with the ongoing conflicts. We are grateful to the Postmaster General for his decision and to Senator Clinton for her tireless work on behalf of the stamp," said James Randles, National Commander, Military Order of the Purple Heart.

With the recent increase in postal rates, supporters of the Purple Heart Stamp, including members of Military Order of the Purple Heart, were concerned that the Postal Service might discontinue the stamp which honors the heroes who have received the Purple Heart Medal. In response to those concerns, Senator Clinton launched a petition on her website to urge the Postmaster General to continue issuing the Purple Heart Stamp honoring the heroes who have received this medal (http://www.clinton.senate.gov/news/s....cfm?id=249526) and on December 19th, Senator Clinton wrote to Postmaster General John Potter, delivering a list of hundreds of names of individuals who signed onto her petition. Senator Clinton invited those who agree with the effort to save the Purple Heart Stamp to add their name to her letter to the Postmaster General, posted on her website at http://clinton.senate.gov/issues/vet...ic=purpleheart.

Senator Clinton cosponsored legislation (S. Con. Res. 56) during the 107th Congress expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued to honor members of the Armed Forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart. Senator Clinton wrote to the U.S. Postmaster General urging support for a commemorative stamp to pay tribute to the Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit. And in May 2003, Senator Clinton attended the ceremony to launch the first issue of the Purple Heart Stamp in Newburgh, NY. The Senate also has approved legislation, sponsored by Senator Clinton and Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), supporting a “National Purple Heart Recognition Day” and honoring all soldiers who were severely injured while serving their country and who were awarded a Purple Heart.

The Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit, commonly known as the Purple Heart, is the oldest military decoration in the world in present use. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces who are wounded in conflict with an enemy force, or while held by an enemy force as a prisoner of war, and posthumously to the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces who are killed in conflict with an enemy force, or who die of a wound received in conflict with an enemy force. There are over 1,535,000 recipients of the Purple Heart Medal, approximately 550,000 of whom are still living. The Purple Heart was established on August 7, 1782 during the Revolutionary War, when General George Washington issued an order establishing the Honorary Badge of Distinction, otherwise known as the Badge of Military Merit, or the Decoration of the Purple Heart.