Mid City Times

Washington D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne reintroduced the Valor Earned Not Stolen Act to honor the service of the nation’s heroes. This bill aims to increase the maximum penalty for individuals who falsely claim to be recipients of military decorations or medals with the intent to obtain government funding or benefits.

“Our nation continues to be a shining light of freedom around the world due to the sacrifice and selflessness of U.S. service members. The recognition and honors our veterans have earned are hallowed and unfortunately, there have been too many instances of stolen valor resulting in stolen government benefits,” said Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne. “The government must ensure all taxpayer money allocated to our veterans is going to those veterans who have earned it. Their acts of valor helped ensure the safety of our nation, and punishments should be stiff for those who defraud the government and disrespect the service of our men and women in uniform.”

Rep. Van Duyne originally introduced the Valor Earned Not Stolen Act in 2021 after conversations with constituents who highlighted several instances of civilians pretending to have earned military accommodations to obtain government funding.

The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 made it a federal crime for an individual to fraudulently represent themselves as having earned military decorations or medals with the intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefits, carrying a punishment of up to one year in prison.

The Valor Earned Not Stolen Act is a two-pronged bill that increases the maximum penalty for stolen valor from one year to three years, aligning it with the penalty for impersonating a public official. It also requires a study and report by the Attorney General and Inspector General of Veterans Affairs to identify any monetary or government benefits received due to misrepresentation of receipt of military decorations or medals, along with recommendations on preventing such occurrences.

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