[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2404 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2404

To authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo 
           H. Cushing for acts of valor during the Civil War.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 26, 2012

  Mr. Kohl (for himself and Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo 
           H. Cushing for acts of valor during the Civil War.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Alonzo H. Cushing was born in Delafield, Wisconsin, on 
        January 19, 1841.
            (2) Alonzo H. Cushing graduated from the United States 
        Military Academy at West Point, New York, on June 24, 1861.
            (3) On July 3, 1863, First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing 
        commanded Battery A, 4th United States Artillery, Army of the 
        Potomac, during the Battle of Gettysburg.
            (4) During the battle, First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing 
        was shot multiple times but refused to retreat.
            (5) First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing continued to command 
        his battery until he was shot and killed.
            (6) The Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg was one 
        of the key turning points in the Civil War.
            (7) The Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Defense 
        have determined that the actions of First Lieutenant Alonzo H. 
        Cushing do merit the award of the Medal of Honor.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO FIRST 
              LIEUTENANT ALONZO H. CUSHING FOR ACTS OF VALOR DURING THE 
              CIVIL WAR.

    (a) Authorization.--Notwithstanding the time limitations specified 
in section 3744 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time 
limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons 
who served in the Armed Forces, the President is authorized to award 
the Medal of Honor under section 3741 of such title to then First 
Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing for conspicuous acts of gallantry and 
intrepidity at the risk of life and beyond the call of duty in the 
Civil War, as described in subsection (b).
    (b) Acts of Valor Described.--The acts of valor referred to in 
subsection (a) are the actions of then First Lieutenant Alonzo H. 
Cushing while in command of Battery A, 4th United States Artillery, 
Army of the Potomac, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 3, 1863, 
during the American Civil War.
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