Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), and Eli Crane (R-AZ) acknowledged Purple Heart Day in posts to X (formerly Twitter).
Purple Heart Day is held on August 7th, commemorating both the creation of the honor and those who have been killed or wounded in combat, thus earning the medal.
In a post to X, Rep. Ciscomani said, "On National Purple Heart Day, we honor the heroes who were wounded or gave their lives in service to our nation," adding, "We are forever grateful for their courage and service."
Similarly, Rep. Biggs posted, "Freedom is never free."
"On National Purple Heart Day, we recognize our nation's servicemembers who were wounded or killed in the line of duty," Rep. Biggs continued. "We can never thank them enough for their sacrifices. May we continue to honor their legacy as we fight to preserve our great Republic."
Finally, Rep. Crane spoke of visiting constituents in Williams, where he came across a ceremony commemorating the holiday.
"Had a chance to express appreciation to veterans in Williams this afternoon," posted Rep. Crane. "They were hosting a ceremony to honor National Purple Heart Day. #AZ02"
In April, Rep. Ciscomani spearheaded a letter to Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll urging for the reevaluation of regulations for awarding the Purple Heart, as many veterans and deceased servicemembers qualify but have not been given the honor.
As he explained, living recipients must prove they have received treatment; however, this fails to account for situations where a medical officer may not have been present to provide treatment at the time of the injury. As a result, many veterans and deceased service members who qualify for the Purple Heart are denied the award under current regulations."
"In some cases, service members are unaware that they need referrals for TBI treatment documented in their health records, creating significant barriers when applying for a Purple Heart," Ciscomani wrote in his letter.
