[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 252 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.252

                     One Hundred Sixteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
           the third day of January, two thousand and nineteen


                                 An Act


 
To authorize the honorary appointment of Robert J. Dole to the grade of 
                      colonel in the regular Army.

    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) Robert J. Dole, also known as Bob Dole, was born July 22, 
    1923, in Russell, Kansas.
        (2) As a student at the University of Kansas, Bob Dole enrolled 
    in the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps in 1942. He was called to active 
    duty the following year and served during World War II. While 
    deployed to Italy as an infantry lieutenant in the 10th Mountain 
    Division, he was seriously wounded in combat and was twice cited 
    for acts of heroism under fire. He finished his military service 
    with two Purple Hearts and two awards of the Bronze Star Medal with 
    ``V'' device for valor. He was also awarded the American Campaign 
    medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the 
    World War II Victory medal. He resigned his Army commission at the 
    grade of captain.
        (3) Bob Dole served in the House of Representatives from 1961 
    to 1969. He served in the Senate from 1969 until 1996. His service 
    was previously recognized by both the Legislative Branch of the 
    United States Government, through the Congressional Gold Medal, and 
    the Executive Branch of the United States Government, through the 
    Presidential Medal of Freedom.
        (4) Separate from the actions underlying the honors previously 
    bestowed upon him, Bob Dole also made direct contributions to the 
    Department of Defense and the veterans of United States military 
    service, including through the following:
            (A) Bob Dole sponsored or co-sponsored bills in Congress to 
        improve veterans benefits, to improve accountability of missing 
        members of the Armed Forces, to establish the Persian Gulf War 
        Veterans Health Registry, to recognize women veterans, and to 
        provide relief from certain inequities for National Guard 
        technician service in connection with civil service retirement.
            (B) Bob Dole served as the National Chairman of the WWII 
        Memorial Campaign, co-chair of the Families of Freedom 
        Scholarship Fund, and co-chair of the Presidential Commission 
        on the Care of America's Returning Wounded Warriors.
        (5) In 2018, an Army advisory panel reviewed the comprehensive 
    record of Bob Dole's service to the Armed Forces, veterans, and the 
    national security of the United States. The panel, recognizing Bob 
    Dole's unique contributions to the Department of Defense and 
    veterans, recommended the honorary promotion of Bob Dole to the 
    grade of colonel in the Army.
        (6) Acting under provisions of section 1563 of title 10, United 
    States Code, the Secretary of the Army endorsed the recommendation 
    of the advisory panel for an honorary promotion of Bob Dole and 
    forwarded it to Congress for further action.
SEC. 2. HONORARY APPOINTMENT OF ROBERT J. DOLE TO THE GRADE OF COLONEL 
IN THE REGULAR ARMY.
    (a) Honorary Appointment.--The honorary appointment of Robert J. 
Dole, of Kansas, to the grade of colonel in the regular Army is hereby 
authorized.
    (b) Additional Benefits Not To Accrue.--The honorary appointment of 
Robert J. Dole to the grade of colonel in the regular Army under 
subsection (a) shall not affect pay or other benefits from the United 
States to which Robert J. Dole is otherwise entitled based upon his 
military service or affect any benefits to which any other person may 
become entitled based on his military service.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.