Title 36, Patriotic and National ObservancesRelease 119-110

§140503 Membership

Title 36 › Subtitle II — Patriotic and National Organizations › Part B — Organizations › CHAPTER 1405 — MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED › § 140503

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows people to be active members if they have good moral character and have received the Purple Heart for wounds they suffered while serving, at any rank, in the U.S. or a foreign country’s armed forces during military or naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States. The organization may let the parents, spouse, siblings, and direct descendants of those Purple Heart recipients be associate members under its own rules. Each active member gets one vote on every matter voted on at member meetings.

Full Legal Text

Title 36, §140503

Patriotic and National Observances, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Active Members.—
An individual is eligible for active membership in the corporation if the individual—
(1)is of good moral character; and
(2)has received the Purple Heart for wounds received as a member, of any rank, of the Armed Forces of the United States or any foreign country during military or naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States.
(b)Associate Members.—
The corporation may extend eligibility for membership as associate members to the parents, spouse, siblings, and lineal descendants of an individual described in subsection (a) of this section on terms provided in its constitution and bylaws.
(c)Voting.—
Each member described in subsection (a) of this section has one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 14050336:826.Aug. 26, 1958, Pub. L. 85–761, § 6, 72 Stat. 857. In this section, the text of 36:826(d) is omitted as obsolete. In subsection (a), the words “has received” are substituted for “who have received or who may hereafter receive”, and the words “as a member” are substituted for “are, have been, or may become members”, for clarity and to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsection (b), the word “may” is substituted for “shall have the power, moreover, to” for consistency and to eliminate unnecessary words.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–207 substituted “the parents, spouse, siblings, and lineal descendants” for “parents and lineal descendants”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

36 U.S.C. § 140503

Title 36, Patriotic and National Observances

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110