[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 8, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3657-S3658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4582. Ms. HIRONO submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:


[[Page S3658]]


  

       At the end of subtitle G of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 590. REVIEW REGARDING AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO CERTAIN 
                   ASIAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN PACIFIC 
                   ISLANDER WAR VETERANS.

       (a) Review Required.--The Secretary of each military 
     department shall review the service records of each Asian 
     American and Native American Pacific Islander war veteran 
     described in subsection (b) to determine whether that veteran 
     should be awarded the Medal of Honor.
       (b) Covered Veterans.--The Asian American and Native 
     American Pacific Islander war veterans whose service records 
     are to be reviewed under subsection (a) are the following:
       (1) Any Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander 
     war veteran who was awarded the Distinguished-Service Cross, 
     the Navy Cross, or the Air Force Cross during the Korean War 
     or the Vietnam War.
       (2) Any other Asian American or Native American Pacific 
     Islander war veteran whose name is submitted to the Secretary 
     concerned for such purpose before the end of the one-year 
     period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Consultations.--In carrying out the review under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary of each military department 
     shall consult with such veterans service organizations as the 
     Secretary considers appropriate.
       (d) Recommendations Based on Review.--If the Secretary 
     concerned determines, based upon the review under subsection 
     (a) of the service records of any Asian American or Native 
     American Pacific Islander war veteran, that the award of the 
     Medal of Honor to that veteran is warranted, the Secretary 
     shall submit to the President a recommendation that the 
     President award the Medal of Honor to that veteran.
       (e) Authority to Award Medal of Honor.--A Medal of Honor 
     may be awarded to an Asian American or Native American 
     Pacific Islander war veteran in accordance with a 
     recommendation of the Secretary concerned under subsection 
     (d).
       (f) Congressional Notification.--No Medal of Honor may be 
     awarded pursuant to subsection (e) until the Secretary of 
     Defense submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
     Senate and the House of Representatives notice of the 
     recommendations under subsection (d), including the name of 
     each Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander war 
     veteran recommended to be awarded a Medal of Honor and the 
     rationale for such recommendation.
       (g) Waiver of Time Limitations.--An award of the Medal of 
     Honor may be made under subsection (e) without regard to--
       (1) section 3744, 6248, or 8744 of title 10, United States 
     Code, as applicable; and
       (2) any regulation or other administrative restriction on--
       (A) the time for awarding the Medal of Honor; or
       (B) the awarding of the Medal of Honor for service for 
     which a Distinguished-Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force 
     Cross has been awarded.
       (h) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Native 
     American Pacific Islander'' means a Native Hawaiian or Native 
     American Pacific Islander, as those terms are defined in 
     section 815 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 
     U.S.C. 2992c).
                                 ______