[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 284 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 284

To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of a 
 prisoner-of-war medal to civilian employees of the Federal Government 
who, during war or under wartime conditions, are taken captive by armed 
 forces or agents of a foreign government hostile to the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 2007

Mr. Davis of Kentucky introduced the following bill; which was referred 
          to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of a 
 prisoner-of-war medal to civilian employees of the Federal Government 
who, during war or under wartime conditions, are taken captive by armed 
 forces or agents of a foreign government hostile to the United States.

    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 ``Civilian Prisoner-of-War Medal Act 
of 2007''.

SEC. 2. PRISONER-OF-WAR MEDAL FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF THE FEDERAL 
              GOVERNMENT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 45 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

                 ``SUBCHAPTER IV--MISCELLANEOUS AWARDS

``Sec. 4531. Prisoner-of-war medal
    ``(a) In General.--The President shall issue a prisoner-of-war 
medal to any person who, while serving as an employee, was forcibly 
taken prisoner and held captive--
            ``(1) while serving in a position or otherwise performing 
        functions in support of members of the Armed Forces of the 
        United States that were engaged in an action or military 
        operation or serving with friendly forces under circumstances 
        described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 1128(a) of 
        title 10, as determined by the President; or
            ``(2) by foreign armed forces that are hostile to the 
        United States, under circumstances which the President finds to 
        have been comparable to those under which persons have 
        generally been held captive by enemy armed forces during 
        periods of armed conflict.
    ``(b) Design.--The prisoner-of-war medal shall be of appropriate 
design, with ribbons and appurtenances.
    ``(c) Numerical Limitation.--Not more than one prisoner-of-war 
medal may be issued to a person under this section. However, for each 
succeeding service that would otherwise justify the issuance of such a 
medal, the President may issue a suitable device to be worn as the 
President determines.
    ``(d) Eligibility.--For a person to be eligible for issuance of a 
prisoner-of-war medal under this section, the person's conduct must 
have been honorable for the period of captivity which serves as the 
basis for the issuance, and such captivity must not have been the 
result of any willful misconduct on the part of such person.
    ``(e) Issuance to a Representative.--If a person dies before the 
issuance of a prisoner-of-war medal to which the person is entitled 
under this section, the medal may be issued to that person's 
representative, as designated by the President.
    ``(f) Replacement.--Under regulations prescribed by the President, 
a prisoner-of-war medal under this section 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.
    ``(g) Coordination.--Nothing in this section shall affect the 
operation of section 1128 of title 10.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 45 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

                  ``subchapter iv--miscellaneous awards

``4531. Prisoner-of-war medal''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall take effect as of April 6, 
1917, and shall apply to persons taken captive on or after that date.
                                 <all>