[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3544 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3544

   To provide for a congressional medal of appropriate design to be 
 awarded by the President to civilians killed or wounded in terrorist 
                                attacks.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 19, 2001

Mrs. McCarthy of New York (for herself, Ms. Lee, Mr. Frost, Mr. Owens, 
Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Fossella, Mr. Hinchey, 
  Mr. Pallone, Mr. Nadler, and Mr. McNulty) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for a congressional medal of appropriate design to be 
 awarded by the President to civilians killed or wounded in terrorist 
                                attacks.

    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 ``Spirit of the Nation Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Since September 11, 2001, the United States has been 
        engaged in a war different from any other in our Nation's 
        history.
            (2) In the eyes of the terrorists, we are all the enemy and 
        the term ``innocent civilian'' has no meaning for them.
            (3) The deaths by airplane at the World Trade Center, at 
        the Pentagon, and in rural Pennsylvania and the deaths by 
        anthrax at United States Postal Service facilities and the 
        media represent an escalation of direct terrorist attacks on 
        civilians.
            (4) Given the unprecedented nature of the attacks against 
        the United States of America and the need to properly 
        demonstrate the support of the country for the victims of 
        terrorism it is only fitting that we recognize their sacrifice 
        with an appropriate medal.

SEC. 3. SPIRIT OF THE NATION MEDALS.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President may present, on behalf 
of the Congress, to each individual referred to in subsection (c), or 
such individual's personal representative or next of kin in the case of 
a deceased individual, a medal of appropriate design, in recognition of 
the sacrifice made by such individual.
    (b) Design and Striking.--
            (1) In general.--For purposes of the presentations referred 
        to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
        strike medals of such content and with such suitable emblems, 
        devices, and inscriptions as the Secretary determines to be 
        appropriate.
            (2) Consultation.--Before making a final determination with 
        respect to the design of the medals under this subsection, the 
        Secretary of the Treasury shall consult with the Secretary of 
        Defense and such other parties as the Secretary of the Treasury 
        may determine to be appropriate.
    (c) Eligibility To Receive Medal.--
            (1) In general.--Any individual who is killed or wounded, 
        on or after September 11, 2001, as a direct result of an act of 
        terrorism within the United States shall be eligible for a 
        medal referred to in subsection (a).
            (2) Determination.--Eligibility under paragraph (1) shall 
        be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation 
        with such other officers of the United States Government, and 
        State and local officials, as the Secretary determines to be 
        appropriate.
            (3) Establishment of list.--
                    (A) Initial list.--Before the end of the 120-day 
                period beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
                Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall establish a 
                list of the names of individuals who became eligible to 
                receive a medal in accordance with paragraph (1) during 
                the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending 
                on such date of enactment.
                    (B) Subsequent eligibility.--If any individual 
                become eligible for a medal in accordance with 
                paragraph (1) after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall promptly add 
                such individual's name to the list prepared pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A).
            (4) Terrorism defined.--The term ``terrorism'' means 
        premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated 
        against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or 
        clandestine agents, domestic or foreign.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for 
purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
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