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Authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to James Capers Jr. for acts of valor performed as a Marine during March 31–April 3, 1967, in the Vietnam War, waiving statutory time limits that would otherwise bar the award. The actions cited were previously recognized with the Silver Star. This measure removes legal time barriers so the Department of Defense and the President can bestow the nation’s highest military decoration for those specific events from 1967.
The bill corrects a past injustice by retroactively awarding the Medal of Honor, improving recognition and morale for service members, at the cost of modest administrative burdens and taxpayer expenses.
Veterans and the family of James Capers Jr. will receive formal recognition through a retroactive Medal of Honor, correcting a historical omission.
Military personnel benefit from an institutional precedent that waives time limits so meritorious past acts can be retroactively honored, reinforcing accountability and fairness in the awards process.
Service members may see improved morale and trust in the system because the government demonstrates willingness to correct past oversights and recognize valor.
The Department of Defense and federal personnel may face increased administrative workload if this high-profile retroactive award prompts other retroactive award requests.
Taxpayers will incur modest administrative and ceremony-related costs to process and present the award.
Introduced February 4, 2026 by Lindsey O. Graham · Last progress February 4, 2026