Senator Larkin Announces Purple Heart Stamp Will Be Reissued At 41 Cents In August

Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson) today announced word from the Postmaster General that the U.S. Postal Service will issue the Purple Heart stamp at the First-Class Mail price of 41 cents beginning this August.

Following the recent postal rate increase, Senator Larkin appealed to the Postmaster General for the continuation of the stamp as well as making the Purple Heart stamp a permanent "forever stamp." The stamp, which honors the sacrifices of our servicemembers killed or wounded in service to our nation, was in jeopardy of being retired with the new rate change.

"This is great news for our veterans, their families and all of us who wish to continue to honor them in this important way," said Senator Larkin. "But our work is not finished until we have a permanent Purple Heart Stamp. We will continue this appeal until we are successful."

"We are pleased with the Postmaster General's decision to reissue the Purple Heart Stamp. However, we still believe it should become a perpetual stamp. Just as the Liberty Bell perpetual stamp is a symbol of our freedom, the Purple Heart perpetual stamp would be a symbol of the cost of that freedom," said Tom Poulter, National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

The 41-cent Purple Heart stamp goes on sale nationally in August. This is the third issue of the Purple Heart definitive postage stamp. Senator Larkin, Hudson Valley veterans’ organizations, and veterans across the nation began the effort for the Purple Heart Stamp in the year 2000. The stamp was first issued on May 30, 2003. The second issuance was on May 26, 2006.