# Plain Language Summary: Valor Earned Not Stolen Act of 2025

This bill makes it a more serious crime to lie about having military medals or decorations. Right now, if someone falsely claims they earned a military medal—like a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, or the Congressional Medal of Honor—they can be punished with up to one year in prison. This bill increases that maximum prison sentence to three years. The same increase applies to lying about combat badges. The idea is that fraudulently claiming military honors is a serious form of stolen valor that deserves harsher punishment.

The bill also requires the federal government to investigate how often people use fake military credentials to get money or benefits they shouldn't have. Within 90 days of the law passing, the Attorney General (the head of the Justice Department) must work with the Veterans Affairs Inspector General and other agencies to study cases where someone lied about military medals to obtain government benefits or cash. This could include things like disability payments, housing assistance, or other veteran benefits that are only supposed to go to people who actually earned those honors.

Within six months, the Attorney General has to report back to Congress with their findings and recommend what policies might help stop this kind of fraud. This is essentially a fact-finding mission to understand how big the problem is and what can be done about it. The bill reflects a broader concern about protecting the integrity of military honors and making sure government benefits meant for actual veterans aren't being stolen by people making false claims.

Valor Earned Not Stolen Act of 2025

Van Duyne, Beth

Valor Earned Not Stolen Act of 2025This bill increases the maximum prison term—from one year to three years—for an individual who falsely claims to be the recipient of certain military awards (e.g., a Medal of Honor or Purple Heart) with the intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit.