I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8937 

To amend requirements for awarding the National Medal of Science, the 

National Medal of Arts, and the National Technology and Innovation 

Medal, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 10, 2020 

Ms. ESHOO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Science, 

Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend requirements for awarding the National Medal 

of Science, the National Medal of Arts, and the National 

Technology and Innovation Medal, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘National Civilian Med5 als Improvement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE AWARD. 

2 The Act entitled ‘‘An Act to establish a National 

3 Medal of Science to provide recognition for individuals who 

4 make outstanding contributions in the physical, biological, 

5 mathematical, engineering, behavioral, and social 

6 sciences.’’, approved August 25, 1959 (42 U.S.C. 1881), 

7 is amended— 

8 (1) in the title, by striking ‘‘engineering, behav9 ioral, and social’’ and inserting ‘‘and engineering 

10 sciences’’; and 

11 (2) by amending section 2 to read as follows: 

12 ‘‘SEC. 2. AWARD OF THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE. 

13 ‘‘(a) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The President shall 

14 award the National Medal of Science to an individual or 

15 a group who in the judgment of the President is deserving 

16 of special recognition by reason of outstanding contribu17 tions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathe18 matical, or engineering sciences on the basis of— 

19 ‘‘(1) information and evidence the President de20 termines appropriate; and 

21 ‘‘(2) recommendations received from— 

22 ‘‘(A) the President’s Committee on the Na23 tional Medal of Science (or a successor of such 

24 committee); 

25 ‘‘(B) the Director of the National Science 

26 Foundation; 


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1 ‘‘(C) the President of the National Acad2 emy of Sciences; 

3 ‘‘(D) the Director of the Office of Science 

4 and Technology Policy; and 

5 ‘‘(E) the Director of the National Insti6 tutes of Health. 

7 ‘‘(b) NUMBER; ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.—Annually, 

8 the President shall award at least 1 medal, and the Presi9 dent may not award more than 5 medals in any calendar 

10 year. 

11 ‘‘(c) CITIZENSHIP.— 

12 ‘‘(1) CITIZENSHIP OF AN INDIVIDUAL.—An in13 dividual may be awarded the medal only if at the 

14 time the award is made such individual— 

15 ‘‘(A) is a citizen or other national of the 

16 United States; or 

17 ‘‘(B) is an alien lawfully admitted to the 

18 United States for permanent residency who— 

19 ‘‘(i) has filed an application or peti20 tion for naturalization in the manner pre21 scribed by section 334 of the Immigration 

22 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1445); and 

23 ‘‘(ii) is eligible for naturalization. 


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1 ‘‘(2) CITIZENSHIP OF A GROUP.—A group may 

2 be awarded the medal only if such group is orga3 nized or incorporated in the United States. 

4 ‘‘(d) CEREMONIES.— 

5 ‘‘(1) DATE REQUIREMENT.—The presentation 

6 of the award under subsection (a) shall be made by 

7 the President, during the month of April of each cal8 endar year, with such ceremonies as the President 

9 may determine proper. 

10 ‘‘(2) INVITATION TO CONGRESS AND THE SU11 PREME COURT.—The President shall invite appro12 priate Members of Congress and all Justices of the 

13 Supreme Court to attend the presentation under 

14 paragraph (1). 

15 ‘‘(e) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS.— 

16 ‘‘(1) POSTHUMOUS LIMITATION.—The Presi17 dent may not award the National Medal of Science 

18 posthumously. 

19 ‘‘(2) CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS.—The Presi20 dent may not award the National Medal of Science 

21 to— 

22 ‘‘(A) the Vice President, the head of an 

23 Executive department, or a Member of Con24 gress; or 


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1 ‘‘(B) the spouse, child, son-in-law, or 

2 daughter-in-law of an individual described in 

3 subparagraph (A), as determined under applica4 ble common law.’’. 

5 SEC. 3. THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF ARTS AWARD. 

6 Section 13 of the National Foundation on the Arts 

7 and the Humanities Act Amendments of 1983 (20 U.S.C. 

8 955b) is amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘subsection 

10 (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘this section’’; 

11 (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol12 lows: 

13 ‘‘(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The President shall 

14 award the National Medal of Arts, on the basis of rec15 ommendations from the National Council on the Arts, to 

16 an individual or a group who in the judgment of the Presi17 dent is deserving of special recognition by reason of out18 standing contributions to the excellence, growth, support, 

19 and availability of the arts in the United States.’’; 

20 (3) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub21 section (g); and 

22 (4) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol23 lowing: 

24 ‘‘(c) NUMBER; ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.—Annually, 

25 the President shall award at least 1 National Medal of 


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1 Arts, and the President may not award more than 5 of 

2 such medals in any calendar year. 

3 ‘‘(d) CITIZENSHIP.— 

4 ‘‘(1) CITIZENSHIP OF AN INDIVIDUAL.—An in5 dividual may be awarded the National Medal of Arts 

6 only if at the time the award is made such indi7 vidual— 

8 ‘‘(A) is a citizen or other national of the 

9 United States; or 

10 ‘‘(B) is an alien lawfully admitted to the 

11 United States for permanent residency who— 

12 ‘‘(i) has filed an application or peti13 tion for naturalization in the manner pre14 scribed by section 334 of the Immigration 

15 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1445); and 

16 ‘‘(ii) is eligible to become a citizen of 

17 the United States. 

18 ‘‘(2) CITIZENSHIP OF A GROUP.—A group may 

19 be awarded the National Medal of Arts only if such 

20 group is organized or incorporated in the United 

21 States. 

22 ‘‘(e) CEREMONIES.— 

23 ‘‘(1) DATE REQUIREMENT.—The presentation 

24 of the award under subsection (a) shall be made by 

25 the President, during the month of October of each 


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1 calendar year, with such ceremonies as the President 

2 may determine proper. 

3 ‘‘(2) INVITATION TO CONGRESS AND THE SU4 PREME COURT.—The President shall invite appro5 priate Members of Congress and all Justices of the 

6 Supreme Court to attend the presentation under 

7 paragraph (1). 

8 ‘‘(f) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS.— 

9 ‘‘(1) POSTHUMOUS LIMITATION.—The Presi10 dent may not award the National Medal of Arts 

11 posthumously. 

12 ‘‘(2) CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS.—The Presi13 dent may not award the National Medal of Arts to— 

14 ‘‘(A) the Vice President, the head of an 

15 Executive department, or a Member of Con16 gress; or 

17 ‘‘(B) the spouse, child, son-in-law, or 

18 daughter-in-law of an individual described in 

19 subparagraph (A), as determined under applica20 ble common law.’’. 

21 SEC. 4. THE NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION 

22 MEDAL. 

23 Section 16 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Inno24 vation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3711) is amended— 


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1 (1) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol2 lows: 

3 ‘‘(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The President shall 

4 award the National Technology and Innovation Medal to 

5 an individual or a group who in the judgment of the Presi6 dent is deserving of special recognition by reason of out7 standing contributions to the promotion of technology or 

8 technological manpower for the improvement of the eco9 nomic, environmental, or social well-being of the United 

10 States on the basis of— 

11 ‘‘(1) information and evidence the President de12 termines appropriate; and 

13 ‘‘(2) recommendations from— 

14 ‘‘(A) the National Medal of Technology 

15 and Innovation Nomination Evaluation Com16 mittee (or a successor of such committee); 

17 ‘‘(B) the Director of the United States 

18 Patent and Trademark Office; 

19 ‘‘(C) the Director of the Office of Science 

20 and Technology Policy; 

21 ‘‘(D) the Director of the National Institute 

22 of Standards and Technology; and 

23 ‘‘(E) the Director of the National Science 

24 Foundation.’’; 

25 (2) by striking subsection (c); and 


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1 (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol2 lowing: 

3 ‘‘(c) NUMBER; ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.—Annually, 

4 the President shall award at least 1 National Technology 

5 and Innovation Medal, and the President may not award 

6 more than 5 of such medals in any calendar year. 

7 ‘‘(d) CITIZENSHIP.— 

8 ‘‘(1) CITIZENSHIP OF AN INDIVIDUAL.—An in9 dividual may be awarded the National Technology 

10 and Innovation Medal only if at the time the award 

11 is made such individual— 

12 ‘‘(A) is a citizen or other national of the 

13 United States; or 

14 ‘‘(B) is an alien lawfully admitted to the 

15 United States for permanent residency who— 

16 ‘‘(i) has filed an application or peti17 tion for naturalization in the manner pre18 scribed by section 334 of the Immigration 

19 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1445); and 

20 ‘‘(ii) is eligible to become a citizen of 

21 the United States. 

22 ‘‘(2) CITIZENSHIP OF A GROUP.—A group may 

23 be awarded the National Technology and Innovation 

24 Medal only if such group is organized or incor25 porated in the United States. 


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1 ‘‘(e) CEREMONIES.— 

2 ‘‘(1) DATE REQUIREMENT.—The presentation 

3 of the award under subsection (a) shall be made by 

4 the President, during the month of April of each cal5 endar year, with such ceremonies as the President 

6 may determine proper. 

7 ‘‘(2) INVITATION TO CONGRESS AND THE SU8 PREME COURT.—The President shall invite appro9 priate Members of Congress and all Justices of the 

10 Supreme Court to attend the presentation under 

11 paragraph (1). 

12 ‘‘(f) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) POSTHUMOUS LIMITATION.—The Presi14 dent may not award the National Technology and 

15 Innovation Medal posthumously. 

16 ‘‘(2) CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS.—The Presi17 dent may not award the National Technology and 

18 Innovation Medal to— 

19 ‘‘(A) the Vice President, the head of an 

20 Executive department, or a Member of Con21 gress; or 

22 ‘‘(B) the spouse, child, son-in-law, or 

23 daughter-in-law of an individual described in 

24 subparagraph (A), as determined under applica25 ble common law.’’. 


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1 SEC. 5. THE NATIONAL HUMANITIES MEDAL. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a Na3 tional Humanities Medal, which shall be a medal of such 

4 design as is determined appropriate by the President. 

5 (b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The President shall award 

6 the National Humanities Medal, on the basis of rec7 ommendations from the National Council on the Human8 ities, to an individual or a group who in the judgment of 

9 the President is deserving of special recognition by reason 

10 of outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, 

11 support, and availability of the humanities in the United 

12 States. 

13 (c) NUMBER; ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.—Annually, 

14 the President shall award at least 1 National Humanities 

15 Medal, and the President may not award more than 5 of 

16 such medals in any calendar year. 

17 (d) CITIZENSHIP.— 

18 (1) CITIZENSHIP OF AN INDIVIDUAL.—An indi19 vidual may be awarded the National Humanities 

20 Medal only if at the time the award is made such 

21 individual— 

22 (A) is a citizen or other national of the 

23 United States; or 

24 (B) is an alien lawfully admitted to the 

25 United States for permanent residency who— 


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1 (i) has filed an application or petition 

2 for naturalization in the manner prescribed 

3 by section 334 of the Immigration and Na4 tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1445); and 

5 (ii) is eligible to become a citizen of 

6 the United States. 

7 (2) CITIZENSHIP OF A GROUP.—A group may 

8 be awarded the National Humanities Medal only if 

9 such group is organized or incorporated in the 

10 United States. 

11 (e) CEREMONIES.— 

12 (1) DATE REQUIREMENT.—The presentation of 

13 the award under subsection (a) shall be made by the 

14 President, during the month of October of each cal15 endar year, with such ceremonies as the President 

16 may determine proper. 

17 (2) INVITATION TO CONGRESS AND THE SU18 PREME COURT.—The President shall invite appro19 priate Members of Congress and all Justices of the 

20 Supreme Court to attend the presentation under 

21 paragraph (1). 

22 (f) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS.— 

23 (1) POSTHUMOUS LIMITATION.—The President 

24 may not award the National Humanities Medal post25 humously. 


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1 (2) CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS.—The Presi2 dent may not award the National Humanities Medal 

3 to— 

4 (A) the Vice President, the head of an Ex5 ecutive department, or a Member of Congress; 

6 or 

7 (B) the spouse, child, son-in-law, or daugh8 ter-in-law of an individual described in subpara9 graph (A), as determined under applicable com10 mon law. 

11 SEC. 6. THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES 

12 AWARD. 

13 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a Na14 tional Medal of Social Sciences, which shall be a medal 

15 of such design as is determined appropriate by the Presi16 dent. 

17 (b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The President shall award 

18 the National Medal of Social Sciences to an individual or 

19 a group who in the judgment of the President is deserving 

20 of special recognition by reason of outstanding contribu21 tions to knowledge in the social sciences, on the basis of— 

22 (1) information and evidence the President de23 termines appropriate; and 

24 (2) recommendations from— 


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1 (A) the presidential committee established 

2 to award the medal described in this section; 

3 (B) the Director of the National Science 

4 Foundation; 

5 (C) the President of the National Academy 

6 of Science; and 

7 (D) the Director of the National Institutes 

8 of Health. 

9 (c) NUMBER; ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.—Annually, 

10 the President shall award at least 1 Medal of Social 

11 Sciences, and the President may not award more than 5 

12 of such medals in any calendar year. 

13 (d) CITIZENSHIP.— 

14 (1) CITIZENSHIP OF AN INDIVIDUAL.—An indi15 vidual may be awarded the National Medal of Social 

16 Sciences only if at the time the award is made such 

17 individual— 

18 (A) is a citizen or other national of the 

19 United States; or 

20 (B) is an alien lawfully admitted to the 

21 United States for permanent residency who— 

22 (i) has filed an application or petition 

23 for naturalization in the manner prescribed 

24 by section 334 of the Immigration and Na25 tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1445); and 


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1 (ii) is eligible to become a citizen of 

2 the United States. 

3 (2) CITIZENSHIP OF A GROUP.—A group may 

4 be awarded the National Medal of Social Sciences 

5 only if such group is organized or incorporated in 

6 the United States. 

7 (e) CEREMONIES.— 

8 (1) DATE REQUIREMENT.—The presentation of 

9 the award under subsection (a) shall be made by the 

10 President, during the month of April of each cal11 endar year, with such ceremonies as the President 

12 may determine proper. 

13 (2) INVITATION TO CONGRESS AND THE SU14 PREME COURT.—The President shall invite appro15 priate Members of Congress and all Justices of the 

16 Supreme Court to attend the presentation under 

17 paragraph (1). 

18 (f) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS.— 

19 (1) POSTHUMOUS LIMITATION.—The President 

20 may not award the National Medal of Social 

21 Sciences posthumously. 

22 (2) CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS.—The Presi23 dent may not award the National Medal of Social 

24 Sciences to— 


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1 (A) the Vice President, the head of an Ex2 ecutive department, or a Member of Congress; 

3 or 

4 (B) the spouse, child, son-in-law, or daugh5 ter-in-law of an individual described in subpara6 graph (A), as determined under applicable com7 mon law. 

8 SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 

9 A medal described in this Act shall be considered a 

10 ‘‘thing of value’’ for purposes of any Federal law with re11 spect to bribery or corruption of a Government official. 

12 SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

13 The amendments made by this Act shall take effect 

14 on the later of 1 year after the enactment of this Act or, 

15 after the enactment of this Act, on the date that the Presi16 dent awards at least 1 of each of the medals described 

17 in this Act. 

Æ 


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