I am pleased to let you know that I am supporting an effort to have a new “forever stamp” issued honoring our veterans who have been awarded the Military Order of the Purple Heart.  “Forever stamps” are a new class of stamps that meet first-class postage requirements even when postage rates increase.

It is very fitting that recipients of the Purple Heart, the oldest military decoration in the world that is still in use, be honored with this new class of stamps.  First established by General George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart is awarded to members of the armed forces who are wounded or killed in an action.  More than 1,700,000 Americans have been awarded the Purple Heart in our nation’s history.

The original Purple Heart postage stamp was first issued by the United States Postal Service in 2003, and issuing a new “forever stamp” will continue to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator