I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3419 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the Operation Hero 

Miles program to include the authority to accept the donation of travel 

benefits in the form of hotel points or awards for free or reducedcost accommodations. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 14, 2011 

Mr. RUPPERSBERGER (for himself, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, and 

Mr. HARRIS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the Operation Hero Miles program to include the authority to 

accept the donation of travel benefits in the form of 

hotel points or awards for free or reduced-cost accommodations. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hotels for Heroes 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF OPERATION HERO MILES. 

2 (a) EXPANDED DEFINITION OF TRAVEL BENEFIT.— 

3 Subsection (b) of section 2613 of title 10, United States 

4 Code, is amended to read as follows: 

5 ‘‘(b) TRAVEL BENEFIT DEFINED.—In this section, 

6 the term ‘travel benefit’ means— 

7 ‘‘(1) frequent traveler miles, credits for tickets, 

8 or tickets for air or surface transportation issued by 

9 an air carrier or a surface carrier, respectively, that 

10 serves the public; and 

11 ‘‘(2) points or awards for free or reduced-cost 

12 accommodations issued by an inn, hotel, or other 

13 commercial establishment that provides lodging to 

14 transient guests.’’. 

15 (b) CONDITION ON AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT DONA16 TION.—Subsection (c) of such section is amended— 

17 (1) by striking ‘‘the air or surface carrier’’ and 

18 inserting ‘‘the business entity referred to in sub19 section (b)’’; 

20 (2) by striking ‘‘the surface carrier’’ and insert21 ing ‘‘the business entity’’; and 

22 (3) by striking ‘‘the carrier’’ and inserting ‘‘the 

23 business entity’’. 

24 (c) USE.—Subsection (d) of such section is amend25 ed— 


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1 (1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of paragraph 

2 (1); 

3 (2) by striking the period at the end of para4 graph (2) and inserting a semicolon; and 

5 (3) by adding at the end the following new 

6 paragraphs: 

7 ‘‘(3) providing humanitarian support to mem8 bers and eligible beneficiaries receiving care through 

9 the military health care system; and 

10 ‘‘(4) providing support to allow participation of 

11 members and their families in Department of De12 fense sponsored and authorized programs.’’. 

13 (d) ADMINISTRATION.—Subsection (e)(3) of such 

14 section is amended by striking ‘‘the air carrier or surface 

15 carrier’’ and inserting ‘‘the business entity referred to in 

16 subsection (b)’’. 

17 (e) STYLISTIC AMENDMENTS.— 

18 (1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of such 

19 section is amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘§ 2613. Acceptance of frequent traveler miles, cred2 its, points, and tickets: use to facilitate 

3 rest and recuperation travel of deployed 

4 members and their families, support 

5 members and other beneficiaries of the 

6 military health care system, and support 

7 participation in authorized programs’’. 

8 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 

9 at the beginning of chapter 155 of such title is 

10 amended by striking the item relating to section 

11 2613 and inserting the following new item: 

‘‘2613. Acceptance of frequent traveler miles, credits, points, and tickets: use 

to facilitate rest and recuperation travel of deployed members 

and their families, support members and other beneficiaries of 

the military health care system, and support participation in 

authorized programs.’’. 

Æ 


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