Sponsors (2)
The bill creates a permanent, standardized Presidential honor to formally recognize families of fallen law enforcement and first responders—improving consistency and quality of recognition—but may exclude some families based on misconduct findings, concentrates decision-making among peer representatives (raising impartiality concerns), and imposes modest taxpayer costs.
Families of law enforcement officers and first responders killed in the line of duty will receive a Presidential medal and formal recognition honoring their sacrifice.
Establishes a permanent Commission and procedures to ensure consistent eligibility determinations and presentations of the medal, creating predictable and stable administration of the award.
Specifies medal design and material standards so recipients receive a uniform, high-quality decoration.
Families may be excluded from receiving the medal if the deceased officer faced an official finding of wrongdoing, denying recognition to some victims' families.
The Commission is composed only of law enforcement and first responder representatives, which could limit impartial review in disputed cases and undermine public trust in award decisions.
Establishing and operating the Commission and producing standardized medals will create ongoing administrative costs funded by taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a Presidential "Medal of Sacrifice," sets eligibility rules, and establishes a 12-member Commission to design and award the medal.
Creates a Presidential “Medal of Sacrifice” to honor law enforcement officers and first responders killed in the line of duty, establishes eligibility rules (excluding those with an official finding of wrongdoing), and forms a 12-member Presidential Commission to design the medal, promote the award, determine presentation procedures, and decide contested eligibility. The Commission must be appointed within 150 days, members serve unpaid five-year terms (up to two terms), the Commission will make initial awards to three named deputies, and the law prescribes precise physical and material specifications for the medal and ribbon.
Official title: Establish a medal of service for law enforcement officers and first responders.
Introduced February 3, 2026 by Lindsey O. Graham · Last progress February 3, 2026