An amendment to the Defense Authorization bill on behalf of U.S. Reps. John Carter, R-Round Rock, and Roger Williams, R-Austin, would grant the Purple Heart Medal to victims of the November 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Center.
U.S. Rep. Michael Conaway R-Midland, added the amendment during the House Armed Services Committee markup of the authorization bill Wednesday night.
Carter and Williams, whose districts include the sprawling post, have been pushing for the recognition.
“By adopting this amendment we will provide the benefits, the recognition, and hopefully some closure to the victims and their families, all of whom have experienced unimaginable pain and hardship,” Carter said.
Carter and Williams introduced a measure in 2013 that would provide the recognition and benefits to the victims of the rampage and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas did the same in the U.S. Senate.
The legislation is what was added as an amendment to the authorization bill.
Last year a 13-member jury panel of Army officers sentenced 42-year-old Nidal Hasan to death by lethal injection for the deadly Nov. 5, 2009 shooting rampage at the post’s Soldier Readiness Center.
Thirteen people were killed and 32 others were injured.
During his court-martial the former U.S. Army psychiatrist admitted to shooting American soldiers and anyone else who got in his way when he switched sides because of the U.S. war on Islam.
Hasan also expressed his support for the Taliban and Sharia law in the proceedings.
“The service members who lost their lives on November 5th, 2009, were fighting a terrorist. As we know too well, the battlefield in the War on Terror is not limited to foreign lands. Men and women who defend America against terrorism on American soil, should be eligible to receive the Purple Heart and other medals that recognize their heroism,” Conaway said.