such nomination to the Congressional Badge of 
Bravery Board by February 15 of the following year. 
(2) INJURIES SUSTAINED ON OR AFTER AUGUST 
15.—In the case of an individual who sustained a 
physical injury described in subsection (a) on or 
after August 15 of a year, to nominate such indi-
vidual under such subsection for a Badge, an agency 
head shall submit such nomination to the Congres-
sional Badge of Bravery Board by February 15 of 
the second year following the date on which the indi-
vidual sustained such physical injury. 
SEC. 5. CONGRESSIONAL BADGE OF BRAVERY BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the Department of Justice a Congressional Badge of Brav-
ery Board (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Board’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The duties of the Board are the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Design the Badge with appropriate ribbons 
and appurtenances. 
(2) Select an engraver to produce each Badge. 
(3) Not later than July 15 of each year, from 
among the nominations timely submitted to the Con-
gressional Badge of Bravery Board by February 
15th of such year, endorse as recipients of the 
Badge such nominations who meet the criteria de-
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scribed in section 4(a) and submit to the Attorney 
General a list of such nominations so endorsed. 
(4) After submission to the Attorney General of 
the list described in paragraph (3)— 
(A) procure the Badges from the engraver 
selected under paragraph (2); 
(B) send a letter announcing the award of 
each Badge to the agency head who nominated 
the endorsed recipient of such Badge; 
(C) send a letter to each Member of Con-
gress representing the congressional district 
where the endorsed recipient of each Badge re-
sides to offer such Member an opportunity to 
present such Badge; 
(D) provide for the presentation of each 
Badge in accordance with section 7; and 
(E) provide for the posting of the name of 
each endorsed recipient of the Badge on the 
public Internet site of the Department of Jus-
tice in a manner that acknowledges the Federal 
service and bravery of each such recipient. 
(5) Set an annual timetable for fulfilling the 
duties described in this subsection. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
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(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Board 
shall be composed of 7 members (in this Act re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Board members’’) appointed as fol-
lows: 
(A) One member jointly appointed by the 
majority leader and minority leader of the Sen-
ate. 
(B) One member jointly appointed by the 
Speaker and minority leader of the House of 
Representatives. 
(C) One member from the Department of 
Justice appointed by the Attorney General. 
(D) Four members of the Federal Law 
Enforcement Officers Association appointed by 
the Executive Board of the Federal Law En-
forcement Officers Association. 
(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) APPLICABLE
TO
MEMBERS
OF
THE 
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ASSO-
CIATION.—No more than 5 Board members 
may be members of the Federal Law Enforce-
ment Officers Association. 
(B) APPLICABLE
TO
NOMINATING
OFFI-
CIALS.—In the case of a Board member who is 
an agency head, if such member nominates an 
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individual under section 4(a), such member may 
not
participate
in
any
evaluation
or
rec-
ommendation process of the Board with respect 
to such individual. 
(3) QUALIFICATIONS.—Board members shall be 
individuals with knowledge or expertise, whether by 
experience or training, in the field of Federal law en-
forcement. 
(4)
TERMS
AND
VACANCIES.—Each
Board 
member shall be appointed for 2 years and may be 
reappointed. A vacancy in the Board shall not affect 
the powers of the Board and shall be filled in the 
same manner as the original appointment. 
(d) OPERATIONS.— 
(1) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the 
Board shall be a Board member elected by a major-
ity of the Board. 
(2) MEETINGS.—The Board shall conduct its 
first meeting not later than 90 days after the ap-
pointment of a majority of Board members. There-
after, the Board shall meet at the call of the Chair-
person, or in the case of a vacancy of the position 
of Chairperson, at the call of the Attorney General. 
(3) VOTING AND RULES.—A majority of Board 
members shall constitute a quorum to conduct busi-
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ness, 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 business of the Board, 
if such rules are not inconsistent with this Act or 
other applicable law. 
(4) STAFF.—The Board may appoint and fix 
the pay of additional qualified personnel as the 
Board considers appropriate to assist it in carrying 
out its duties under subsection (b). 
(e) POWERS.— 
(1) HEARINGS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Board may hold 
hearings, sit and act at times and places, take 
testimony, and receive evidence as the Board 
considers appropriate to carry out the duties of 
the Board under this Act. The Board may ad-
minister oaths or affirmations to witnesses ap-
pearing before it. 
(B) WITNESS
EXPENSES.—Witnesses re-
quested to appear before the Board may be 
paid the same fees as are paid to witnesses 
under section 1821 of title 28, United States 
Code. The per diem and mileage allowances for 
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witnesses shall be paid from funds appropriated 
to the Board. 
(2) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
Subject to sections 552, 552a, and 552b of title 5, 
United States Code— 
(A) the Board may secure directly from 
any Federal department or agency information 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act; and 
(B) upon request of the Board, the head of 
that department or agency shall furnish the in-
formation to the Board. 
(3) INFORMATION
TO
BE
KEPT
CONFIDEN-
TIAL.—The Board shall not disclose any information 
which may compromise an ongoing law enforcement 
investigation or is otherwise required by law to be 
kept confidential. 
(f) COMPENSATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), Board members shall serve without pay. 
(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each Board member 
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in 
lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable 
provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 
5, United States Code. 
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(a) FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.—The 
term ‘‘Federal law enforcement officer’’ means a Federal 
employee— 
(1) who has statutory authority to make ar-
rests; 
(2) who is authorized by his or her agency to 
carry firearms; and 
(3) whose duties are primarily— 
(A) the investigation, apprehension, or de-
tention of individuals suspected or convicted of 
a Federal criminal offense; or 
(B)
the
protection
of
Federal
officials 
against threats to personal safety. 
(b) AGENCY HEAD.—The term ‘‘agency head’’ means 
the head of any executive, legislative, or judicial branch 
government entity that employs Federal law enforcement 
officers. 
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attor-
ney General such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
this Act. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Law Enforcement Con-
gressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) FEDERAL AGENCY HEAD.—The term ‘‘Fed-
eral agency head’’ means the head of any executive, 
legislative, or judicial branch Government entity that 
employs Federal law enforcement officers. 
(2) 
FEDERAL
BOARD.—The 
term 
‘‘Federal 
Board’’ means the Federal Law Enforcement Congres-
sional Badge of Bravery Board established under sec-
tion 103(a). 
(3) FEDERAL
BOARD
MEMBERS.—The term 
‘‘Federal Board members’’ means the members of the 
Federal Board appointed under section 103(c). 
(4) FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BADGE.—The 
term ‘‘Federal Law Enforcement Badge’’ means the 
Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of 
Bravery described in section 101. 
(5) FEDERAL
LAW
ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER.— 
The term ‘‘Federal law enforcement officer’’— 
(A) means a Federal employee— 
(i) who has statutory authority to 
make arrests or apprehensions; 
(ii) who is authorized by the agency of 
the employee to carry firearms; and 
(iii) whose duties are primarily— 
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(I) engagement in or supervision 
of the prevention, detection, investiga-
tion, or prosecution of, or the incarcer-
ation of any person for, any violation 
of law; or 
(II) the protection of Federal, 
State, local, or foreign government offi-
cials against threats to personal safety; 
and 
(B) includes a law enforcement officer em-
ployed by the Amtrak Police Department or Fed-
eral Reserve. 
(6) OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Office’’ means the Con-
gressional Badge of Bravery Office established under 
section 301(a). 
(7) STATE AND LOCAL BOARD.—The term ‘‘State 
and Local Board’’ means the State and Local Law 
Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Board 
established under section 203(a). 
(8) STATE AND LOCAL BOARD MEMBERS.—The 
term ‘‘State and Local Board members’’ means the 
members of the State and Local Board appointed 
under section 203(c). 
(9) STATE
AND
LOCAL
LAW
ENFORCEMENT 
BADGE.—The term ‘‘State and Local Law Enforce-
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ment Badge’’ means the State and Local Law En-
forcement Congressional Badge of Bravery described 
in section 201. 
(10) STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY HEAD.—The term 
‘‘State or local agency head’’ means the head of any 
executive, legislative, or judicial branch entity of a 
State or local government that employs State or local 
law enforcement officers. 
(11) STATE OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFI-
CER.—The term ‘‘State or local law enforcement offi-
cer’’ means an employee of a State or local govern-
ment— 
(A) who has statutory authority to make ar-
rests or apprehensions; 
(B) who is authorized by the agency of the 
employee to carry firearms; and 
(C) whose duties are primarily— 
(i) engagement in or supervision of the 
prevention, detection, investigation, or pros-
ecution of, or the incarceration of any per-
son for, any violation of law; or 
(ii) the protection of Federal, State, 
local, or foreign government officials against 
threats to personal safety. 
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TITLE 
I—FEDERAL 
LAW 
EN-
FORCEMENT 
CONGRES-
SIONAL BADGE OF BRAVERY 
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF A BADGE. 
The Attorney General may award, and a Member of 
Congress or the Attorney General may present, in the name 
of Congress a Federal Law Enforcement Congressional 
Badge of Bravery to a Federal law enforcement officer who 
is cited by the Attorney General, upon the recommendation 
of the Federal Board, for performing an act of bravery while 
in the line of duty. 
SEC. 102. NOMINATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A Federal agency head may nomi-
nate for a Federal Law Enforcement Badge an indi-
vidual— 
(1) who is a Federal law enforcement officer 
working within the agency of the Federal agency head 
making the nomination; and 
(2) who— 
(A)(i) sustained a physical injury while— 
(I) engaged in the lawful duties of 
the individual; and 
(II) performing an act character-
ized as bravery by the Federal agency 
head making the nomination; and 
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(ii) put the individual at personal risk 
when the injury described in clause (i) oc-
curred; or 
(B) while not injured, performed an act 
characterized as bravery by the Federal agency 
head making the nomination that placed the in-
dividual at risk of serious physical injury or 
death. 
(b) CONTENTS.—A nomination under subsection (a) 
shall include— 
(1) a written narrative, of not more than 2 
pages, describing the circumstances under which the 
nominee performed the act of bravery described in 
subsection (a) and how the circumstances meet the 
criteria described in such subsection; 
(2) the full name of the nominee; 
(3) the home mailing address of the nominee; 
(4) the agency in which the nominee served on 
the date when such nominee performed the act of 
bravery described in subsection (a); 
(5) the occupational title and grade or rank of 
the nominee; 
(6) the field office address of the nominee on the 
date when such nominee performed the act of bravery 
described in subsection (a); and 
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