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The victims of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting may eventually receive Purple Hearts after a controversial five-year fight, now that a new agreement has passed through the House and is on its way to the Senate.
Thursday the House passed a "bicameral agreement" on language inserted into the FY 15 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would adjust Purple Heart criteria so that the award, and accompanying benefits, could be given "to service members who are victims of an attack that was inspired or motivated by a U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization," Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, and Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, announced Thursday. The language would be retroactively effective as of Sept. 11, 2001.
"This is a huge step in the joint efforts to help victims of the Fort Hood terrorist attack," Williams said in a statement. "Our nation's leaders must uphold our solemn commitment to provide for troops in harm's way – whether at home or abroad."