Sen. Brown Makes Appeal For " Stolen Valor Act"

US Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts  is pushing for a new law to punish people who make false claims of receiving military honors.   WAMC”s Paul Tuthill reports.

         Brown held a news conference at the US Capitol Tuesday and sent letters to other Senators seeking their support for the legislation he calls  “ The Stolen Valor Act” .. The US Supreme court  last month struck down a similar law, passed in 2005.  The majority of justice said that while it was contemptible for someone to make phony claims of war heroism, it was also  free speech, protected  by the First Amendment.  Brown, a Republican and a member of the National Guard, said his bill will pass constitutional muster by focusing on people who seek to profit from there misrepresenatations.

         Brown’s bill would punish violators with a  fine and  up to a year in  prison .