PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF MILITARY DECORATIONS NOT PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED IN TIMELY FASHION.

SEC. 526. PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF MILITARY DECORATIONS NOT PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED IN TIMELY FASHION. (a) In General.— Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “§ 1130. Consideration of proposals for decorations not previously submitted in timely fashion: procedures for review and recommendation “(a) Upon request of a Member of Congress, the Secretary concerned shall review a proposal for the award or presentation of a decoration (or the upgrading of a decoration), either for an individual or a unit, that is not otherwise authorized to be presented or awarded due to limitations established by law or policy for timely submission of a recommendation for such award or presentation. Based upon such review, the Secretary shall make a determination as to the merits of approving the award or presentation of the decoration and the other determinations necessary to comply with subsection (b). “(b) Upon making a determination under subsection (a) as to the merits of approving the award or presentation of the decoration, the Secretary concerned shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives and to the requesting member of Congress notice in writing of one of the following: “(1) The award or presentation of the decoration does not warrant approval on the merits. “(2) The award or presentation of the decoration warrants approval and a waiver by law of time restrictions prescribed by law is recommended. “(3) The award or presentation of the decoration warrants approval on the merits and has been approved as an exception to policy. “(4) The award or presentation of the decoration warrants approval on the merits, but a waiver of the time restrictions prescribed by law or policy is not recommended. “(c) Determinations under this section regarding the award or presentation of a decoration shall be made in accordance with the same procedures that apply to the approval or disapproval of the award or presentation of a decoration when a recommendation for such award or presentation is submitted in a timely manner as prescribed by law or regulation. “(d) In this section: “(1) The term ‘Member of Congress’ means— “(A) a Senator; or 110 STAT. 314 “(B) a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, Congress. “(2) The term ‘decoration’ means any decoration or award that may be presented or awarded to a member or unit of the armed forces.”. (b) Clerical Amendment.— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: “1130. Consideration of proposals for decorations not previously submitted in timely fashion: procedures for review and recommendation ”.