The Valor Earned Not Stolen Act of 2025 increases prison sentences for those who fraudulently claim to have received military medals and mandates a federal study on benefits obtained through such deception.
Beth Van Duyne
Representative
TX-24
The Valor Earned Not Stolen Act of 2025 increases the maximum prison sentence from one to three years for individuals who fraudulently claim to have received military medals, decorations, or combat badges. Additionally, the bill mandates a federal study to identify and address instances where such fraudulent claims have been used to illegally obtain government or veteran benefits.
Valor Earned Not Stolen Act Triples Prison Time for Stolen Valor Fraud to 3 Years
The Valor Earned Not Stolen Act of 2025 aims to crack down on individuals who lie about their military service to gain respect or financial perks. Under current law, fraudulently claiming you received a military medal or a high-level honor like the Congressional Medal of Honor is a federal offense, but the punishment usually tops out at one year in prison. This bill significantly raises the stakes by amending 18 U.S.C. § 704 to increase that maximum sentence to three years. This change applies across the board to general decorations, combat badges, and the most prestigious valor awards, signaling a shift from treating these lies as minor misdemeanors to more serious federal crimes.
Raising the Stakes for Stolen Valor
By tripling the potential prison time from 12 months to 36 months, the bill treats the misrepresentation of military service as a significant fraud. For a regular person, this means that someone posing as a decorated veteran to get a discount at a local shop or to boost their professional reputation now faces a much steeper legal cliff. The bill specifically targets the fraudulent misrepresentation of receiving medals, which directly impacts the integrity of honors like the Purple Heart or the Bronze Star. If someone is caught using a fake combat badge to enhance their social standing or career, the legal consequences will be significantly more severe than under previous statutes.
Tracking the Cost of Deception
Beyond just tougher sentencing, the bill initiates a deep dive into the financial side of these lies. Within 90 days of the bill becoming law, the Attorney General and the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs must launch a joint study to figure out exactly how much money and how many government benefits have been siphoned off by people faking their military records. This isn't just about social media clout; it’s about identifying instances where individuals used fake medals to qualify for VA benefits, government contracts, or other monetary rewards reserved for those who served.
From Data to Action
Once the study is complete, the Attorney General has 180 days to hand over a report to Congress. This report won’t just be a list of numbers; it is required to include specific policy recommendations to close the loopholes that allowed this fraud to happen in the first place. For the average taxpayer, this could mean more rigorous verification processes when applying for veteran-specific state or federal programs. While this might add a layer of paperwork for actual veterans, the goal is to ensure that the resources and honors intended for those who earned them aren't being drained by those who didn't.