Congress·In Committee·H.R. 8973

Sergeant Rafael Peralta Medal of Honor Authorization Act

Medal of Honor: Authorization for Sergeant Rafael Peralta

May 21·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

Next up: A house committee

This bill is in the early stages of the legislative process and is currently sitting with the House Committee on Armed Services. The committee must review the bill before it can move forward, but no action has taken place since May 20, 2026. Most bills do not receive a committee vote, so this proposal is not showing signs of active movement.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Could go either way

This bill has support from both parties, but similar efforts for this specific Marine have faced hurdles in the past from military leadership reviews.

Key Points

This bill allows the government to give the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Rafael Peralta, a Marine who died in 2004. It removes legal time limits that usually stop medals from being awarded many years after a battle took place.
During a house-clearing mission in Fallujah, Iraq, Peralta was shot and mortally wounded. His fellow Marines reported that he then pulled an enemy grenade under his body to absorb the blast and save the lives of those around him.
The bill states that Peralta's actions showed extreme courage and sacrifice. It aims to ensure that his heroism is recognized with the nation's highest military award despite previous administrative delays or rules.
If the bill passes, it gives the president the legal authority to officially grant the Medal of Honor to Peralta's family in recognition of his service and bravery.

Impact Analysis

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

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

May 21, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

May 21, 2026

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Sergeant Rafael Peralta Medal of Honor Authorization Act

Bill NumberHR 8973

Congress119th Congress

ChamberHouse of Representatives

Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Read Full Bill Text

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)

D: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.