HR 3497
Became law
Establishes a presidential medal of sacrifice for law enforcement officers and first responders killed in the line of duty, and creates a commission to advise on its design and eligibility.
Official title: Medal of Sacrifice Act
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
House
Introduced
19-MAY-2025
Referred
19-MAY-2025
Approved by committee
18-DEC-2025
Reported
27-JAN-2026
On the calendar
27-JAN-2026
Passed
02-FEB-2026
Senate
Received
03-FEB-2026
Passed
11-MAY-2026
President
Presented
20-MAY-2026
Signed
28-MAY-2026
Became law
28-MAY-2026
- Directs the President to issue a medal of sacrifice to local, State, Tribal, territorial, and Federal law enforcement officers and first responders killed in the line of duty.
- Bars anyone subject to an official finding of wrongdoing, meaning a determination that they acted outside their duties or agency policy, and has the commission make the final eligibility decision in those cases.
- Requires the President to appoint a 12-member commission within 150 days, with five-year terms, and ends the commission once its responsibilities are complete.
- Awards the first medals to Deputy Ralph "Butch" Waller, Deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz, and Deputy Luis Paez, and specifies a silver and 24k gold vermeil medal about 2.25 inches across.
Current. The Congressional Research Service's summary covers the bill's latest wording (Public Law, 28-MAY-2026).
CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.gov- Judiciary Committee (House)
- Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Senate)
Crime and Law Enforcement
■ 27 R■ 9 D
27 Republicans
- Andy Barr
- Tom Barrett
- Ken Calvert
- Ben Cline
- Byron Donalds
- Neal P. Dunn
- Mike Ezell
- Scott Fitzgerald
- Brian K. Fitzpatrick
- Brandon Gill
- Tony Gonzales
- Clay Higgins
- Michael Lawler
- Laurel M. Lee
- Ryan Mackenzie
- Mark B. Messmer
- Tim Moore
- Troy E. Nehls
- John H. Rutherford
- Maria Elvira Salazar
- Derek Schmidt
- Victoria Spartz
- Bryan Steil
- W. Gregory Steube
- David J. Taylor
Show all 27 Republicans
9 Democrats