[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2440 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2440

To provide for commemoration of the victory of freedom in the Cold War.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 1, 1999

  Mr. Lazio introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for commemoration of the victory of freedom in the Cold War.

    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 ``Commemoration of the Victory of 
Freedom in the Cold War Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMEMORATION OF THE VICTORY OF FREEDOM IN THE COLD WAR.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Cold War between the United States and the former 
        Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was the longest and most 
        costly struggle for democracy and freedom in the history of 
        mankind.
            (2) Whether millions of people all over the world would 
        live in freedom hinged on the outcome of the Cold War.
            (3) Democratic countries bore the burden of the struggle 
        and paid the costs in order to preserve and promote democracy 
        and freedom.
            (4) The Armed Forces and the taxpayers of the United States 
        bore the greatest portion of such a burden and struggle in 
        order to protect such principles.
            (5) Tens of thousands of United States soldiers, sailors, 
        Marines, and airmen paid the ultimate price during the Cold War 
        in order to preserve the freedoms and liberties enjoyed in 
        democratic countries.
            (6) The Berlin Wall erected in Berlin, Germany, epitomized 
        the totalitarianism that the United States struggled to 
        eradicate during the Cold War.
            (7) The end of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on 
        December 26, 1991, marked the end for Soviet totalitarianism, 
        and thus the end of the Cold War.
            (8) December 26, 2001, is the 10th anniversary of the fall 
        of the Soviet Union.
    (b) Cold War Medal.--(1) Chapter 57 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1133. Cold War medal: award
    ``(a) Award.--There is hereby authorized an award of an appropriate 
decoration, as provided for under subsection (b), to each person who 
served honorably in the armed forces during the Cold War in order to 
recognize the contributions of those person to United States victory in 
the Cold War.
    ``(b) Design.--The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall, 
under regulations prescribed by the President, design for purposes of 
this section a decoration called the `Reagan-Truman Victory in the Cold 
War Medal'. The decoration shall be of appropriate design, with ribbons 
and appurtenances.
    ``(c) Period of Cold War.--In this section, the term `Cold War' 
shall mean the period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending on 
December 26, 1991.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``1133. Cold War medal: award.''.
    (c) Participation of Armed Forces in Celebration of Anniversary of 
End of Cold War.--(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), amounts 
appropriated for operation and maintenance for the Army shall be 
available for the purpose of covering the costs of the Armed Forces in 
participating in a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the end of 
the Cold War to be held in Washington, District of Columbia, on 
December 26, 2001.
    (2) The total amount of funds available under paragraph (1) for the 
purpose stated in that paragraph may not exceed $15,000,000.
    (3)(A) The Secretary of Defense may accept contributions from the 
private sector for the purpose of reducing the costs of the Armed 
Forces described in paragraph (1).
    (B) The amount of funds available under paragraph (1) for the 
purpose set forth in that paragraph shall be reduced by an amount equal 
to the amount of contributions accepted by the Secretary under 
subparagraph (A).
    (d) Commission on Victory in the Cold War.--(1) There is hereby 
established a commission to be known as the ``Commission on Victory in 
the Cold War'' (in this subsection to be referred to as the 
``Commission'').
    (2) The Commission shall be composed of twelve members, as follows:
            (A) Two shall be appointed by the President.
            (B) Three shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (C) Three shall be appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (D) Two shall be appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (E) Two shall be appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
    (3) The Commission shall have as its duty the review of the 
expenditure of funds by the Armed Forces under subsection (c) before 
the participation of the Armed Forces in the celebration referred to in 
paragraph (1) of that subsection, whether such funds are derived from 
funds of the United States or from amounts contributed by the private 
sector under paragraph (3)(A) of that subsection.
    (4) In addition to the duties provided for under paragraph (3), the 
Commission shall also have the authority to design and award medals and 
decorations to current and former public officials and other 
individuals whose efforts were vital to United States victory in the 
Cold War.
    (5) The Commission shall be chaired by two individuals as follows:
            (A) One selected by and from among those appointed pursuant 
        to subparagraphs (A), (D), and (E) of paragraph (2).
            (B) One selected by and from among those appointed pursuant 
        to subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (2).
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