Hood Shooting Victims Could Get Purple Heart Medals

The wounded victims and the families of those who died in the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, would qualify for Purple Heart medals, under a provision of the House version of the 2015 defense-spending bill. Two Texas Republican lawmakers, Reps. John Carter and Roger Williams, sponsored the amendment. Thirteen people died and another 30 were wounded when Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a psychiatrist, opened fire randomly upon co-workers. The White House and Pentagon had opposed authorizing the award, calling the attack an act of workplace violence. Carter, Williams, and their supporters from both sides of the aisle countered that Hasan’s actions were an act of terrorism, and as such worthy of the military honor.