[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3914 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3914

To amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretaries of the 
 military departments to review certain requests to award decorations 
 that were not timely awarded because relevant records were classified 
            or otherwise restricted, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2025

   Mr. Issa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretaries of the 
 military departments to review certain requests to award decorations 
 that were not timely awarded because relevant records were classified 
            or otherwise restricted, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Valor Has No Expiration Act''.

SEC. 2. REVIEW OF REQUESTS FOR DECORATIONS NOT TIMELY AWARDED TO 
              MEMBERS OF CERTAIN ARMED FORCES SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY 
              BECAUSE RELEVANT RECORDS WERE CLASSIFIED OR OTHERWISE 
              RESTRICTED.

    Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1130 the following new section:
``Sec. 1130a. Consideration of proposals for certain decorations not 
              previously submitted in timely fashion because relevant 
              records were classified or otherwise restricted
    ``(a) Waiver of Time Limitations.--Notwithstanding section 1130 of 
this title, a decoration (including any device in lieu of a 
decoration), authorized by law or under the regulations of the 
Department of Defense or the military department concerned, may be 
awarded, without regard to any time limitation imposed by law or 
regulation for a recommendation for such award--
            ``(1) to any person for service--
                    ``(A) while on active duty in the Army, Navy, 
                Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force;
                    ``(B) during the period beginning on January 1, 
                1940; and
                    ``(C) the records of which were classified, 
                withheld from the public record due to sensitivity, or 
                redacted for national security purposes; and
            ``(2) based on a request for consideration of such award 
        received by the Secretary of a military department.
    ``(b) Review of Requests.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary of a military department--
            ``(1) shall--
                    ``(A) begin a review of a request under subsection 
                (a)(2) not later than 30 days after the Secretary 
                receives such request; and
                    ``(B) complete such a review not later than one 
                year after the date of such receipt; and
            ``(2) may use the process under subsections (b) and (c) of 
        section 1130 of this title to carry out such a review.
    ``(c) Rules of Construction.--(1) The failure of the Secretary of a 
military department to complete the review of a request under 
subsection (a)(2) within the time limitations under subsection (b) 
shall not be construed to limit the authority to award a decoration 
under this section.
    ``(2) In the case of a decoration the President may award, the 
recommendation of the Secretary of the military department concerned to 
not award such decoration shall not be construed to prohibit the 
President from awarding such decoration.
    ``(d) Reports.--(1)(A) Not later than 30 days after completing the 
review of a request under subsection (b), the Secretary of a military 
department shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding such review.
    ``(B) In the case of a review of a request for a decoration the 
President may award, the Secretary of the military department concerned 
shall, subject to subparagraph (C), also submit such report to the 
President.
    ``(C) In the case of a review of a request for a Medal of Honor, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit the report under this paragraph.
    ``(2) Such a report shall include, with respect to the request 
reviewed, the following elements:
            ``(A) A summary of the request.
            ``(B) The findings of the review.
            ``(C) The final action or recommendation of the submitting 
        Secretary regarding such request.
            ``(D) Any recommendation of the submitting Secretary to 
        improve award procedures with respect to military intelligence 
        personnel.''.
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