Cold War Service Medal Act
Bill: H.R.5757 | Sponsor: Rep. Pingree, Chellie (D-ME)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Cold War Service Medal Act
This bill authorizes the military department concerned to issue Cold War Service Medals to eligible persons who served during the Cold War (September 2, 1945, to December 26, 1991) and meet other requirements.
Specifically, eligible persons are those who (1) served on active duty for at least 24 consecutive months during the Cold War, (2) were deployed as members of the armed forces outside of the United States for at least 30 days during the Cold War, (3) were members of a reserve component and called or ordered to active duty related to the Cold War, or (4) performed other service in the armed forces during the Cold War.
The military department concerned may issue the medal to the next-of-kin if the eligible recipient is deceased.

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a 
   military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served 
         honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cold War Service Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL.

    (a) Medal Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 57 of title 10, United States 
        Code, is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating sections 1135 and 1136 as 
                sections 1136 and section 1137, respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after section 1134 the following 
                new section:
``Sec. 1135. Cold War Service Medal
    ``(a) Medal Authorized.--The Secretary concerned may issue a 
service medal, to be known as the `Cold War Service Medal', to persons 
eligible to receive the medal under subsection (c).
    ``(b) Design.--The Cold War Service Medal shall be of an 
appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense, with ribbons, 
lapel pins, and other appurtenances.
    ``(c) Eligible Persons.--Subject to subsection (d), a person 
eligible to be issued the Cold War Service Medal is any person who--
            ``(1) served on active duty in the armed forces for not 
        less than 24 consecutive months during the Cold War;
            ``(2) was deployed as a member of the armed forces outside 
        the continental United States for a period of at least 30 days 
        during the Cold War;
            ``(3) was a member of a reserve component of the armed 
        forces and called or ordered to active duty to participate in 
        exercises or operations directly related to the Cold War, as 
        determined by the Secretary of Defense; or
            ``(4) performed such other service in the armed forces 
        during the Cold War as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe 
        for purposes of this section.
    ``(d) One Medal Authorized.--Not more than one Cold War Service 
Medal may be issued to any person.
    ``(e) Issuance to Next-of-Kin.--If a person described in subsection 
(c) is deceased, the Secretary concerned may provide for issuance of 
the Cold War Service Medal to the next-of-kin of the person.
    ``(f) Regulations.--The issuance of a Cold War Service Medal shall 
be subject to such regulations as the Secretaries concerned shall 
prescribe for purposes of this section. The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that any regulations prescribed under this subsection are 
uniform to the extent practicable.
    ``(g) Cold War Defined.--In this section, the term `Cold War' means 
the period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending on December 26, 
1991.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 57 of such title is amended by striking 
        the items relating to sections 1135 and 1136 and adding at the 
        end the following new items:

``1135. Cold War Service Medal.
``1136. Replacement of military decorations.
``1137. Honorable service requirement for award of military 
                            decorations.''.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of Defense should take appropriate actions to expedite--
            (1) the design of the Cold War Service Medal provided for 
        by section 1136 of title 10, United States Code (as added by 
        subsection (a)); and
            (2) the establishment and implementation of mechanisms to 
        facilitate the issuance of the Cold War Service Medal to 
        persons eligible for the issuance of the medal under such 
        section.
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