[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4798 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4798

 To provide a combat status identifier equivalent for remotely piloted 
  aircraft crew who conduct combat operations, and require a study to 
identify opportunities to provide more support services to, and greater 
             recognition of, their combat accomplishments.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 25, 2024

 Ms. Rosen (for herself and Mr. Cramer) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide a combat status identifier equivalent for remotely piloted 
  aircraft crew who conduct combat operations, and require a study to 
identify opportunities to provide more support services to, and greater 
             recognition of, their combat accomplishments.

    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 ``Combat Action Recognition and 
Evaluation (CARE) for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Crews Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. COMBAT STATUS IDENTIFIER EQUIVALENT FOR REMOTELY PILOTED 
              AIRCRAFT CREW.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretaries of the military departments shall establish a 
status identifier of equivalent merit as a combat status identifier for 
remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) crew who conduct combat operations.

SEC. 3. STUDY ON COMBAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT 
              CREW.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter 
into an agreement with a federally funded research and development 
center to conduct an independent study to identify opportunities to 
provide more support services to, and greater recognition of, combat 
accomplishments of RPA crew.
    (b) Elements.--The study required under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) explore methods for identifying those members of a RPA 
        crew who conduct combat operations;
            (2) review the manner of documentation for RPA crew 
        conducting combat operations;
            (3) propose decorations and awards for combat operations 
        available to RPA crew;
            (4) assess whether to award campaign medals for RPA crew 
        conducting combat operations in a named campaign; and
            (5) examine whether post-separation health (including 
        mental health) care is available to RPA crew who conduct combat 
        operations.
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