§15202 Medal of Valor Board

Summary

Creates a Medal of Valor Review Board of 11 people who must have public safety experience. Appointments: two by the Senate majority leader, two by the Senate minority leader, two by the House Speaker, two by the House minority leader, and three by the President (one with firefighting experience, one with law enforcement experience, and one with emergency services experience). Members serve 4-year terms. Vacancies are filled the same way and do not stop the Board from working. The members pick a Chair. The Board must meet first within 90 days after the last initial member is named, then at the Chair’s call but at least twice a year. A majority is a quorum, though the Board can set a smaller quorum for hearings, and it can adopt rules by majority vote so long as they follow the law. The Board reviews applications from the National Medal of Valor Office and recommends names to the Attorney General no more than once each year. It may name up to 5 recipients in a year but may choose none; the Attorney General can raise that number in extraordinary cases. The Board sets its yearly schedule, can hold hearings, take oaths and testimony, and accept evidence. Witnesses may be paid the same fees as under section 1821 of title 28, with travel and per diem paid from Board funds. The Board can get needed information from federal agencies and must keep secret anything that would harm an ongoing law enforcement investigation or is legally confidential.