[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9595 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9595

To authorize the President to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to 
Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto for acts of valor as a member 
                  of the Army during the Vietnam War.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 6, 2026

Mr. Hernandez (for himself and Ms. Velazquez) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the President to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to 
Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto for acts of valor as a member 
                  of the Army during the Vietnam War.

    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 ``Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero 
Barreto Medal of Honor Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto of the United 
        States Army, born in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, served the United 
        States with extraordinary distinction, unwavering courage, and 
        unparalleled dedication throughout his military career from 
        1959 to 1970.
            (2) Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto distinguished 
        himself as the first Puerto Rican graduate of the Army Air 
        Assault School and went on to serve five consecutive voluntary 
        tours of duty in the Republic of Vietnam, reflecting 
        exceptional courage, sacrifice, and devotion to the United 
        States.
            (3) Throughout his five combat tours, Sergeant First Class 
        Jorge Otero Barreto participated in more than 200 combat and 
        aerial missions, demonstrating extraordinary courage and 
        resilience under fire while protecting his fellow soldiers and 
        carrying out missions with distinction as a member of the 101st 
        Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division.
            (4) Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto earned 38 
        military decorations in recognition of his extraordinary valor, 
        service, and sacrifice during the Vietnam War, including two 
        Silver Stars, five Bronze Star Medals with ``V'' Device for 
        valor, five Purple Hearts awarded for wounds sustained in 
        combat, and seven Air Medals.
            (5) On May 1, 1968, during Operation Carentan II near Hu=, 
        Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto's platoon was 
        subjected to a fierce, multi-wave assault by an overwhelming 
        North Vietnamese Army force. Sergeant First Class Otero Barreto 
        single-handedly neutralized a fortified enemy machine gun 
        emplacement and its three-man crew, then led his squad in 
        clearing three additional enemy bunkers, saving the lives of 
        his fellow soldiers.
            (6) Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto passed away on 
        October 14, 2024, at the age of 87, leaving behind an enduring 
        legacy of service that extended far beyond the battlefield, 
        including decades of work as a veterans' counselor helping 
        fellow veterans overcome post-traumatic stress and substance 
        abuse.
            (7) The extraordinary heroism, gallantry, and selflessness 
        demonstrated by Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto merit 
        the highest honor that the United States can bestow upon a 
        member of the Armed Forces.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR POSTHUMOUS AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO 
              SERGEANT FIRST CLASS JORGE OTERO BARRETO FOR ACTS OF 
              VALOR AS A MEMBER OF THE ARMY DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

    Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in section 7274 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 posthumously award the Medal of 
Honor, under section 7271 of such title, to Sergeant First Class Jorge 
Otero Barreto for acts of valor as a member of the Army during the 
Vietnam War.
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