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Congress·Passed House·H.R. 3497

Medal of Sacrifice Act

New Medal for Officers and First Responders Killed on Duty

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill tells the President to create and award a new “Medal of Sacrifice” for police officers and first responders who die while doing their jobs.
  • If an officer’s agency says the person acted wrongly (like breaking rules or acting outside their job), the medal would usually be denied.
  • A new 12-member group would be picked by the President to help design the medal, decide how it gets presented, and make final calls in disputed cases.
  • The group’s first awards would go to 3 named deputies: Ralph “Butch” Waller, Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, and Luis Paez.
  • For most people, this won’t change daily life, but for families of fallen responders it could mean national recognition—and possible debate over what counts as “wrongdoing.”
Criminal JusticeVeteransCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

Milestones

4 milestones13 actions
Feb 3, 2026Senate

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Feb 2, 2026House

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Feb 2, 2026House

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1925-1926)

The House fast-tracked this bill — limited debate, no amendments allowed, but needs two-thirds support to pass.

Feb 2, 2026

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1925-1926)

The House fast-tracked this bill — limited debate, no amendments allowed, but needs two-thirds support to pass.

Feb 2, 2026House

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3497.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.

News

No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Medal of Sacrifice Act

Bill NumberHR 3497
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(36)
D: 9R: 27

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.