Legislative Status S. 1097

Report from Frank M. Tims, Ph.D.
Legislative Director
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

August 15, 2008

in the 110th Congress, a Cold War Medal was stripped out of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008, due to Pentagon opposition. 

Background:
Several versions of a Cold War Medal have been introduced since 1997, when the Senate passed a National Defense Authorization Act for 1998 containing such a medal. The Medal did not survive the House-Senate Conference on the final authorization for 1998.  The Secretary of Defense authorized a certificate of recognition for all who served in the US Government (military or civilian). The certificate program is scheduled to run for 10 years, ending in 2008.

In 2001, the NDAA for FY 2002 included a provision for a Cold War Medal, and although it passed both houses of Congress, it was reduced to a "recommendation" in the final NDAA for that year.  Secretary Rumsfeld refused to authorize the medal.

Currently:
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY introduced S.1097, the Cold War Medal Act of 2007, which is still alive in the Senate Armed Services Committee.  Cosponsors of this bill include Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) Charles Schumer (D-NY), Mary Landrieu (D-LA),Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Blanche  Lincoln (D-AR).

Likely outcome:
The language of this bill did not make it into the NDAA for 2009, and would have been opposed by the Pentagon if it had.  Still, the bill provides an important way for sitting senators to express their support for recognizing veterans of the Cold War in an appropriate way (not with a certificate, but with a medal).  S.1097 will die at the end of the 110^th Congress if it is not taken up by the Senate as a whole (very unlikely since the Armed Services Committee has not reported it out). 

The two (presumptive) presidential candidates, John McCain and Barak Obama, have not announced a position supporting a Cold War Medal.  There is still time for each of them to sign on as a cosponsor of S.1097 before the election.

Time to ask them both: Where do you stand, sir?

Cold War Medal Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)

S 1097 IS

110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1097

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War era.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 12, 2007

Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Ms. COLLINS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War era.

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 `Cold War Medal Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL.

(a) Authority- Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 1135. Cold War service medal

`(a) Medal Authorized- The Secretary concerned shall issue a service medal, to be known as the `Cold War service medal', to persons eligible to receive the medal under subsection (b). The Cold War service medal shall be of an appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense, with ribbons, lapel pins, and other appurtenances.

`(b) Eligible Persons- The following persons are eligible to receive the Cold War service medal:

`(1) A person who--

`(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as an enlisted member during the Cold War;

`(B) completed the person's initial term of enlistment or, if discharged before completion of such initial term of enlistment, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and

`(C) has not received a discharge less favorable than an honorable discharge or a release from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable.

`(2) A person who--

`(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as a commissioned officer or warrant officer during the Cold War;

`(B) completed the person's initial service obligation as an officer or, if discharged or separated before completion of such initial service obligation, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and

`(C) has not been released from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable and has not received a discharge or separation less favorable than an honorable discharge.

`(c) One Award Authorized- Not more than one Cold War service medal may be issued to any person.

`(d) Issuance to Representative of Deceased- If a person described in subsection (b) dies before being issued the Cold War service medal, the medal shall be issued to the person's representative, as designated by the Secretary concerned.

`(e) Replacement- Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a Cold War service medal that is lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was issued may be replaced without charge.

`(f) Application for Medal- The Cold War service medal shall be issued upon receipt by the Secretary concerned of an application for such medal, submitted in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary prescribes.

`(g) Uniform Regulations- The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the military departments under this section are uniform so far as is practicable.

`(h) Cold War Defined- In this section, the term `Cold War' means the period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending at the end of December 26, 1991.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`1135. Cold War service medal.'.