Military Service Integrity Act of 2012

Military Service Integrity Act of 2012 - Revises provisions prohibiting the unauthorized purchase, sale, or use of military medals or decorations.

Repeals a prohibition against knowingly wearing such a medal when not authorized to do so.

Adds the requirement that a person act with the intent of securing a tangible benefit or personal gain to the prohibition against knowingly, falsely, and materially representing oneself as having served in the U.S. Armed Forces or having been awarded any decoration, medal, ribbon, or other device authorized by Congress or pursuant to federal law for the Armed Forces. Defines "tangible benefit or personal gain" to include: (1) a benefit relating to military service provided by the federal government or a state or local government, (2) employment or professional advancement, (3) financial remuneration, (4) an effect on the outcome of a criminal or civil court proceeding, and (5) an impact on one's personal credibility in a political campaign.

Repeals provisions providing for enhanced penalties for offenses involving a Congressional Medal of Honor, a distinguished-service cross, a Navy cross, an Air Force cross, a silver star, or a Purple Heart.

[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3372 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3372

         To amend section 704 of title 18, United States Code.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 11, 2012

 Mr. Webb (for himself and Mr. Conrad) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
         To amend section 704 of title 18, United States Code.

    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 ``Military Service Integrity Act of 
2012''.

SEC. 2. MILITARY MEDALS OR DECORATIONS.

    Section 704 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as 
follows:
``Sec. 704. Military medals or decorations
    ``(a) In General.--Whoever knowingly purchases, attempts to 
purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, 
produces blank certificates of receipt for, manufactures, sells, 
attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges 
for anything of value any decoration or medal authorized by Congress 
for the Armed Forces of the United States, or any of the service medals 
or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, 
or rosette of any such badge, decoration, or medal, or any colorable 
imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made 
pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not 
more than 6 months, or both.
    ``(b) False Claims to the Receipt of Military Decorations, Medals, 
or Ribbons in Order To Secure a Tangible Benefit or Personal Gain.--
            ``(1) In general.--Whoever, with the intent of securing a 
        tangible benefit or personal gain, knowingly, falsely, and 
        materially represents himself or herself through any written or 
        oral communication (including a resume) to have served in the 
        Armed Forces of the United States or to have been awarded any 
        decoration, medal, ribbon, or other device authorized by 
        Congress or pursuant to Federal law for the Armed Forces of the 
        United States, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for 
        not more than 6 months, or both.
            ``(2) Tangible benefit or personal gain.--For purposes of 
        this subsection, the term `tangible benefit or personal gain' 
        includes--
                    ``(A) a benefit relating to military service 
                provided by the Federal Government or a State or local 
                government;
                    ``(B) employment or professional advancement;
                    ``(C) financial remuneration;
                    ``(D) an effect on the outcome of a criminal or 
                civil court proceeding; and
                    ``(E) an impact on one's personal credibility in a 
                political campaign.''.
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