V 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 859 

To authorize the honorary appointment of Robert J. Dole to the grade 

of colonel in the regular Army. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 29, 2019 

Mr. MARSHALL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To authorize the honorary appointment of Robert J. Dole 

to the grade of colonel in the regular Army. 

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

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress makes the following findings: 

5 (1) Robert J. Dole, also known as Bob Dole, 

6 was born July 22, 1923, in Russell, Kansas. 

7 (2) As a student at the University of Kansas, 

8 Bob Dole enrolled in the Army Enlisted Reserve 

9 Corps in 1942. He was called to active duty the fol10 lowing year and served during World War II. While 


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1 deployed to Italy as an infantry lieutenant in the 

2 10th Mountain Division, he was seriously wounded 

3 in combat and was twice cited for acts of heroism 

4 under fire. He finished his military service with two 

5 Purple Hearts and two awards of the Bronze Star 

6 Medal with ‘‘V’’ device for valor. He was also award7 ed the American Campaign medal, the European-Af8 rican-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the 

9 World War II Victory medal. He resigned his Army 

10 commission at the grade of captain. 

11 (3) Bob Dole served in the House of Represent12 atives from 1961 to 1969. He served in the Senate 

13 from 1969 until 1996. His service was previously 

14 recognized by both the Legislative Branch of the 

15 United States Government, through the Congres16 sional Gold Medal, and the Executive Branch of the 

17 United States Government, through the Presidential 

18 Medal of Freedom. 

19 (4) Separate from the actions underlying the 

20 honors previously bestowed upon him, Bob Dole also 

21 made direct contributions to the Department of De22 fense and the veterans of United States military 

23 service, including through the following: 

24 (A) Bob Dole sponsored or co-sponsored 

25 bills in Congress to improve veterans benefits, 


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1 to improve accountability of missing members 

2 of the Armed Forces, to establish the Persian 

3 Gulf War Veterans Health Registry, to recog4 nize women veterans, and to provide relief from 

5 certain inequities for National Guard technician 

6 service in connection with civil service retire7 ment. 

8 (B) Bob Dole served as the National 

9 Chairman of the WWII Memorial Campaign, 

10 co-chair of the Families of Freedom Scholarship 

11 Fund, and co-chair of the Presidential Commis12 sion on the Care of America’s Returning 

13 Wounded Warriors. 

14 (5) In 2018, an Army advisory panel reviewed 

15 the comprehensive record of Bob Dole’s service to 

16 the Armed Forces, veterans, and the national secu17 rity of the United States. The panel, recognizing 

18 Bob Dole’s unique contributions to the Department 

19 of Defense and veterans, recommended the honorary 

20 promotion of Bob Dole to the grade of colonel in the 

21 Army. 

22 (6) Acting under provisions of section 1563 of 

23 title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the 

24 Army endorsed the recommendation of the advisory 


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1 panel for an honorary promotion of Bob Dole and 

2 forwarded it to Congress for further action. 

3 SEC. 2. HONORARY APPOINTMENT OF ROBERT J. DOLE TO 

4 THE GRADE OF COLONEL IN THE REGULAR 

5 ARMY. 

6 (a) HONORARY APPOINTMENT.—The honorary ap7 pointment of Robert J. Dole, of Kansas, to the grade of 

8 colonel in the regular Army is hereby authorized. 

9 (b) ADDITIONAL BENEFITS NOT TO ACCRUE.—The 

10 honorary appointment of Robert J. Dole to the grade of 

11 colonel in the regular Army under subsection (a) shall not 

12 affect pay or other benefits from the United States to 

13 which Robert J. Dole is otherwise entitled based upon his 

14 military service or affect any benefits to which any other 

15 person may become entitled based on his military service. 

Æ 


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