[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2568 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2568

 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 era.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 24, 2005

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 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 era.

    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 ``Cold War Victory Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL.

    (a) Authority.--Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1134. Cold War Victory Medal
    ``(a) Medal Authorized.--The Secretary concerned shall issue a 
service medal, to be known as the `Cold War Victory Medal', to persons 
eligible to receive the medal under subsection (b). The Cold War 
Victory Medal shall be of an appropriate design approved by the 
Secretary of Defense, with ribbons, lapel pins, and other 
appurtenances.
    ``(b) Eligible Persons.--The following persons are eligible to 
receive the Cold War Victory Medal:
            ``(1) A person who--
                    ``(A) performed active duty or inactive duty 
                training as an enlisted member during the Cold War;
                    ``(B) completed the person's initial term of 
                enlistment or, if discharged before completion of such 
                initial term of enlistment, was honorably discharged 
                after completion of not less than 180 days of service 
                on active duty; and
                    ``(C) has not received a discharge less favorable 
                than an honorable discharge or a release from active 
                duty with a characterization of service less favorable 
                than honorable.
            ``(2) A person who--
                    ``(A) performed active duty or inactive duty 
                training as a commissioned officer or warrant officer 
                during the Cold War;
                    ``(B) completed the person's initial service 
                obligation as an officer or, if discharged or separated 
                before completion of such initial service obligation, 
                was honorably discharged after completion of not less 
                than 180 days of service on active duty; and
                    ``(C) has not been released from active duty with a 
                characterization of service less favorable than 
                honorable and has not received a discharge or 
                separation less favorable than an honorable discharge.
    ``(c) One Award Authorized.--Not more than one Cold War Victory 
Medal may be issued to any person.
    ``(d) Issuance to Representative of Deceased.--If a person 
described in subsection (b) dies before being issued the Cold War 
Victory Medal, the medal shall be issued to the person's 
representative, as designated by the Secretary concerned.
    ``(e) Replacement.--Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
concerned, a Cold War Victory Medal that is lost, destroyed, or 
rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the 
person to whom it was issued may be replaced without charge.
    ``(f) Application for Medal.--The Cold War Victory Medal shall be 
issued upon receipt by the Secretary concerned of an application for 
such medal, submitted in accordance with such regulations as the 
Secretary prescribes.
    ``(g) Uniform Regulations.--The Secretary of Defense shall ensure 
that regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the military 
departments under this section are uniform so far as is practicable.
    ``(h) Definition.--In this section, the term `Cold War' means the 
period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending at the end of 
December 26, 1991.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``1134. Cold War Victory Medal.''.
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