IIB
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 46
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
APRIL 14, 1999
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
AN ACT
To provide for a national medal for public safety officers
who act with extraordinary valor above and beyond the
call of duty.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Safety Officer
Medal of Valor Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MEDAL.
The President may award, and present in the name
of Congress, a Medal of Valor of appropriate design, with
ribbons and appurtenances, to a public safety officer who
is cited by the Attorney General, on the advice of the
Medal of Valor Review Board, for extraordinary valor
above and beyond the call of duty.
SEC. 3. BOARD.
(a) BOARD.—There is established a permanent Medal
of Valor Review Board (hereinafter in this Act referred
to as the ‘‘Board’’). The Board shall—
(1) be composed of 11 members appointed in
accordance with subsection (b); and
(2) conduct its business in accordance with this
Act.
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The members of the Board
shall be appointed as follows:
(A) Two shall be appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives.
(B) Two shall be appointed by the minority
leader of the House of Representatives.
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(C) Two shall be appointed by the Majority
Leader of the Senate.
(D) Two shall be appointed by the Minor-
ity Leader of the Senate.
(E) Three shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent, one of whom shall have substantial experi-
ence in firefighting, one of whom shall have
substantial experience in law enforcement, and
one of whom shall have substantial experience
in emergency services.
(2) PERSONS ELIGIBLE.—The members of the
Board shall be individuals who have knowledge or
expertise, whether by experience or training, in the
field of public safety.
(3) TERM.—The term of a Board member is 4
years.
(4) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the member-
ship of the Board shall not affect the powers of the
Board and shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment.
(5) OPERATION OF THE BOARD.—
(A) MEETINGS.—The Board shall meet at
the call of the Chairman and not less than
twice each year. The initial meeting of the
Board shall be conducted not later than 30
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days after the appointment of the last member
of the Board.
(B) QUORUM; VOTING; RULES.—A major-
ity of the members of the Board shall constitute
a quorum to conduct business, but the Board
may establish a lesser quorum for conducting
hearings scheduled by the Board. The Board
may establish by majority vote any other rules
for the conduct of the Board’s business, if such
rules are not inconsistent with this Act or other
applicable law.
(c) DUTIES.—The Board shall select candidates as
recipients of the Medal of Valor from among those applica-
tions received by the National Medal Office. Not more
often than once each year, the Board shall present to the
Attorney General the name or names of those it rec-
ommends as Medal of Valor recipients. In a given year,
the Board is not required to choose any names, but is lim-
ited to a maximum number of 6 recipients. The Board
shall set an annual timetable for fulfilling its duties under
this Act.
(d) HEARINGS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board may hold such
hearings, sit and act at such times and places, ad-
minister such oaths, take such testimony, and re-