I
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5371
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 24, 2010
Mr. Luetkemeyer (for himself, Mr. Cantor, Mr. Deutch, and Mr. Crowley) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Navy to conduct a review of military service records of Jewish American veterans of World War I, including those previously awarded a military decoration, to determine whether any of the veterans should be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
William Shemin Jewish World War I
Veterans Act
.
Review regarding award of Medal of Honor to Jewish American World War I veterans
Review required
The Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Navy shall review the service records of each Jewish American World War I veteran described in subsection (b) to determine whether that veteran should be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Covered jewish american war veterans
The Jewish American World War I veterans whose service records are to be reviewed under subsection (a) are the following:
Any Jewish American World War I veteran who was previously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or other military decoration for service during World War I.
Any other Jewish American World War I veteran whose name is submitted to the Secretary concerned for such purpose by the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America before the end of the one-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
Consultations
In carrying out the review under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned shall consult with the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America and with such other veterans service organizations as the Secretary considers appropriate.
Recommendation based on review
If the Secretary concerned determines, based upon the review under subsection (a) of the service records of any Jewish American World War I 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 posthumously to that veteran.
Authority To award medal of honor
A Medal of Honor may be awarded posthumously to a Jewish American World War I veteran in accordance with a recommendation of the Secretary concerned under subsection (a).
Waiver of time limitations
An award of the Medal of Honor may be made under subsection (e) without regard to—
section 3744, 6248, or 8744 of title 10, United States Code; and
any regulation or other administrative restriction on—
the time for awarding the Medal of Honor; or
the awarding of the Medal of Honor for service for which a Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or other military decoration has been awarded.
Definitions
In this section:
The term
Jewish American World War I veteran
means any person who served
in the Armed Forces during World War I and identified himself or herself as
Jewish on his or her military personnel records.
The term
Secretary concerned
means—
the Secretary of the Army, in the case of the Army; and
the Secretary of the Navy, in the case of the Navy and the Marine Corps.
The term World War I
means
the period beginning on April 6, 1917, and ending on November 11, 1918.