A BILL SPONSORED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BY REPRESENTATIVE BOB FILNER (CA) TO AWARD THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL TO PRISONERS OF WAR THAT DIE IN CAPTIVITY.  THE BILL IS TITLED:  HONOR OUR FALLEN PRISONERS OF WAR ACT.  

THIS BILL WAS INITIATED BY BRENDA AND RICK TAVARES IN HONOR AND MEMORY OF CORPORAL MELVIN MORGAN, 24^TH INFANTRY DIVISION WHO DIED IN A NORTH KOREAN PRISONER OF WAR CAMP OF BEATINGS AND STARVATION ON 06 DECEMBER 1950.  BRENDA TAVARES IS THE NIECE OF CPL MORGAN.  

THE BILL READS:
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the Purple Heart to be awarded to prisoners of war who die in captivity under circumstances not otherwise establishing eligibility for the Purple Heart.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
     This Act may be cited as the `Honor Our Fallen Prisoners of War Act'.

SEC. 2. AWARD OF PURPLE HEART FOR PRISONERS OF WAR WHO DIE IN CAPTIVITY.
            (a) Persons not Otherwise Eligible for the Purple Heart- Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 1135. Purple Heart: members who die while prisoners of war that are not otherwise eligible under the circumstances causing death:
            (a) For purposes of the award of the Purple Heart, the Secretary concerned shall treat a member of the armed forces described in subsection (b) in the same manner as a member who is killed or wounded in action as the result of an act of an enemy of the United States.

            (b) A member described in this subsection is a member who dies in captivity under circumstances establishing eligibility for the prisoner-of-war medal under section 1128 of this title but not under circumstances establishing eligibility for the Purple Heart.

            (c) This section applies to members of the armed forces who die on or after December 7, 1941. In the case of a member who dies as described in subsection (b) on or after December 7, 1941, and before the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary concerned shall award the Purple Heart under subsection (a) in each case which is known to the Secretary before the date of the enactment of this section or for which an application is made to the Secretary in such manner as the Secretary requires.'.

            (b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`1135. Purple Heart: members who die while prisoners of war that are not otherwise eligible under the circumstances causing death.'.  

Congressional Sponsor/co sponsors:  Rep. Robert Filner, Sponsor (CA), Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (NY), Rep. Bob Etheridge (NC), Rep. Thaddeus G. McCotter (MI), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL), Rep. William L. Jenkins (TN), Rep. Michael R. McNulty (NY), Rep. Cynthia A. McKinney (GA)  

Supporting organizations:

Military Order of the Purple Heart, National
American EX-Prisoners of War, Korean War, National
Tiger Survivors, National
Korea Defense Veterans of America , National
Korean War Veterans Association, National
Marine Corps League, National
Hispanic War Veterans of  America , National
24th Infantry Division Association
Uniformed Services Disabled Retirees
Chapter # 1, East Texas Chapter of the AMEX
USMC league unit in Murrieta  California
VFW Post in Temecula  California