Commemorative Coin Honoring America's Purple Heart Recipients One Step Closer To Reality

Congressman Maloney joins National Purple Heart Honor Mission Board members and supporters to announce passage of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act.

Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act Passes House, Awaits Action in the U.S. Senate

(NEWBURGH, NY) – In what would be a first for America’s Purple Heart recipients, a bill to approve a commemorative coin that honors our nation’s combat-wounded veterans recently took another step closer to becoming law.

With 307 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, the bill to authorize the minting of the special Purple Heart coin passed unanimously. Sales of the coin would benefit the National Purple Heart Honor Mission (Honor Mission), which promotes the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and supports a range of other tribute programming. The legislation was sponsored by Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18).

The organization is now calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to support the bill’s passage so it can be sent to President Trump for signature.

“This is an historic opportunity to honor all of America’s combat wounded and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The creation of an official U.S.-minted coin honoring our Purple Heart heroes will ensure our organization is able to continue to promote visitation to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, in New Windsor, NY and expand our programming to ensure our combat-wounded veterans are honored and remembered for generations to come,” said Richie Lay, a Purple Heart recipient and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Purple Heart Honor Mission.

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1830/S.2042) authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins at the United States Mint at West Point for the 2021 year. After production costs are recouped by the Treasury, proceeds from sales of the coin will be directed to the National Purple Heart Honor Mission (formerly known as the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Inc.).

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, which was established through leadership provided by the organization behind the coin, today is operated by the New York-New Jersey Palisades Interstate Park Commission and located just north of West Point.

Earlier this year, the Honor Mission, launched the Purple Heart Patriot Project, sponsored in-part by American Airlines, which brought dozens of Purple Heart veterans from 33 states on an all-expenses-paid trip to West Point and the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. The organization also previously played a significant role in the creation of the Purple Heart Forever stamp passed by the U.S. Congress and issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 2014.

The National Purple Heart Honor Mission is an approved 501(c)3 national charitable organization.

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