To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a Department of Veterans Affairs Medal for Distinguished Public Service to honor veterans who make remarkable and distinguished contributions to their communities.

Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to award a decoration called the Department of Veterans Affairs Medal for Distinguished Public Service to a veteran who, during the period after the date of the veteran's discharge or release from the active military, naval, or air service, has: (1) made remarkable and distinguished contributions to the community of the veteran; and (2) exemplified the virtues of honor, duty, and commitment to service that originally led the veteran to service in the Armed Forces.

Allows the Secretary to award such medal posthumously to such a veteran who is deceased.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 154 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 154

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a Department of 
   Veterans Affairs Medal for Distinguished Public Service to honor 
 veterans who make remarkable and distinguished contributions to their 
                              communities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 2013

 Mr. McIntyre introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a Department of 
   Veterans Affairs Medal for Distinguished Public Service to honor 
 veterans who make remarkable and distinguished contributions to their 
                              communities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED 
              PUBLIC SERVICE.

    (a) Establishment.--Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 533. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED 
              PUBLIC SERVICE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award a decoration called the 
`Department of Veterans Affairs Medal for Distinguished Public Service' 
to a veteran described in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Veteran Described.--A veteran described in this subsection is 
a veteran whom the Secretary determines has, during the period after 
the date of the veteran's discharge or release from the active 
military, naval, or air service--
            ``(1) made remarkable and distinguished contributions to 
        the community of the veteran; and
            ``(2) exemplified the virtues of honor, duty, and 
        commitment to service that originally led the veteran to 
        service in the Armed Forces.
    ``(c) Posthumous Award.--The Secretary may award the medal under 
this section to a veteran described in subsection (b) who is deceased.
    ``(d) Regulations.--The Secretary may prescribe regulations to 
carry out this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 532 the following new item:

``533. Department of Veterans Affairs Medal for Distinguished Public 
                            Service.''.
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