For immediate release: May 16, 2012
Click Here to Watch Carter Floor Speech on YouTube

A nearly three-year crusade by House Army Caucus Co-Chairman John Carter (R-TX31) to honor the victims of the November 2009 attack on Ft. Hood moved a step closer to victory today, as the House began debate on the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes language approving Purple Heart status to those killed and wounded in the incident.

“There is no excuse for this having taken so long,” said Carter.  “The Department of Defense could have immediately granted combat status to the Fort Hood victims under the same authority DOD used to grant that status to the 9-11 casualties at the Pentagon.  The refusal is pure politics on the behalf of the Obama Administration in seeking to deny a radical Islamic terror attack on U.S. soil under their watch as a result of force-protection vulnerabilities due to political-correctness.”    

Debate began today on the FY 2013 NDAA which includes language from House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-NY) that orders the Secretary of Defense to award the Purple Heart to service members killed or wounded in the attack. 

Carter, who represents the Fort Hood area in Congress, originally introduced the Purple Heart eligibility issue as HR 4791 on November 17, 2009 in the 111^th Congress, just days after the November 5 attack.  In addition to allowing military personnel to be eligible to receive the Purple Heart and civilian casualties to receive the Secretary of Defense Medal of Freedom, the original Carter bill also sought to guarantee that the beneficiaries of all military personnel who lost their lives in the attack would receive the maximum life insurance available, and other combat casualty benefits.  Carter renewed the legislation in the 112^th Congress on February 10, 2010 as HR 625, the Ft Hood Victims and Families Benefits Protection Act.

Two other bills introduced by Carter in the wake of the attack have also now become law as part of larger legislation.  The Military Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, H.R. 4267, and the Military Active Shooter Training Act of 2011, HR 826, were both included in the FY 2012 NDAA that was signed into law on December 31, 2011. 

The Whistleblower Act provision protects military whistleblowers from politically-correct career pressure against reporting radical Islamic activities and threats.   The Active Shooter bill provides specialized training in dealing with mass shooting incidents for military and civilian law enforcement personnel who protect U.S. military installations. 

Carter says that while the bulk of the three reform bills he introduced following the attack will soon be law, there are additional measures in the bills that still need to be addressed. 

“While I will be delighted when Chairman King’s language granting Purple Hearts to our military casualties becomes law, we still need to remember our three civilian casualties.  They fully deserve the Medal of Freedom, the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart, which was awarded to DOD civilian casualties of the attack on the Pentagon,” said Carter.   The former Texas judge also called for continued efforts to ensure that families of those killed receive the full benefits due combat casualties.

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