§ 2214. — Public safety awards.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC2214]
TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 49--FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Sec. 2214. Public safety awards
(a) Establishment
There is hereby established an honorary award for the recognition of
outstanding and distinguished service by public safety officers to be
known as the Director's Award For Distinguished Public Safety Service
(``Director's Award'').
(b) Description
The Director's Award shall be presented by the Director or by the
Attorney General to public safety officers for distinguished service in
the field of public safety.
(c) Award
Each Director's Award shall consist of an appropriate citation.
(d) Regulations
The Director and the Attorney General are authorized and directed to
issue jointly such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this
section.
(e) ``Public safety officer'' defined
As used in this section, the term ``public safety officer'' means a
person serving a public agency, with or without compensation, as--
(1) a firefighter;
(2) a law enforcement officer, including a corrections or court
officer; or
(3) a civil defense officer.
(Pub. L. 93-498, Sec. 15, Oct. 29, 1974, 88 Stat. 1544; Pub. L. 98-241,
title II, Sec. 202, Mar. 22, 1984, 98 Stat. 96; Pub. L. 106-503, title
I, Sec. 110(a)(2)(B)(iv), (v), (C), Nov. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 2302; Pub.
L. 107-12, Sec. 8, May 30, 2001, 115 Stat. 22.)
Amendments
2001--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107-12, Sec. 8(1), added subsec. (a) and
struck out heading and text of former subsec. (a). Text read as follows:
``There are hereby established two classes of honorary awards for the
recognition of outstanding and distinguished service by public safety
officers--
``(1) the President's Award For Outstanding Public Safety
Service (`President's Award'); and
``(2) the Director's Award For Distinguished Public Safety
Service (`Director's Award').''
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107-12, Sec. 8(2), struck out pars. (1) and (2)
designations and text of par. (1) which read as follows: ``The
President's Award shall be presented by the President of the United
States to public safety officers for extraordinary valor in the line of
duty or for outstanding contribution to public safety.''
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107-12, Sec. 8(3), (4), redesignated subsec.
(e) as (c) and struck out pars. (1) and (2) designations and text of
par. (1), which read as follows: ``Each President's Award shall consist
of--
``(A) a medal suitably inscribed, bearing such devices and
emblems, and struck from such material as the Secretary of the
Treasury, after consultation with the Director and the Attorney
General deems appropriate. The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause
the medal to be struck and furnished to the President; and
``(B) an appropriate citation.''
Former subsec. (c) was struck out.
Pub. L. 107-12, Sec. 8(3), struck out heading and text of subsec.
(c). Text read as follows: ``The Director and the Attorney General shall
advise and assist the President in the selection of individuals to whom
the President's Award shall be tendered and in the course of performing
such duties they shall seek and review nominations for such awards which
are submitted to them by Federal, State, county, and local government
officials. They shall annually transmit to the President the names of
those individuals determined by them to merit the award, together with
the reasons therefor. Recipients of the President's Award shall be
selected by the President.''
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107-12, Sec. 8(3), redesignated subsec. (f) as
(d) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (d). Text read as
follows:
``(1) There shall not be presented in any one calendar year in
excess of twelve President's Awards.
``(2) There shall be no limitation on the number of Director's
Awards presented.''
Subsecs. (e) to (g). Pub. L. 107-12, Sec. 8(3), redesignated
subsecs. (e) to (g) as (c) to (e), respectively.
2000--Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 106-503, Sec. 110(a)(2)(C),
substituted ``Director's'' for ``Secretary's'' in two places.
Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 106-503, Sec. 110(a)(2)(B)(iv), (C),
substituted ``Director's'' for ``Secretary's'' and ``Director'' for
``Secretary''.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106-503, Sec. 110(a)(2)(B)(iv), substituted
``Director'' for ``Secretary''.
Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 106-503, Sec. 110(a)(2)(C), substituted
``Director's'' for ``Secretary's''.
Subsec. (e)(1)(A). Pub. L. 106-503, Sec. 110(a)(2)(B)(v),
substituted ``with the Director'' for ``with the Secretary''.
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 106-503, Sec. 110(a)(2)(C), substituted
``Director's'' for ``Secretary's''.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106-503, Sec. 110(a)(2)(B)(iv), substituted
``Director'' for ``Secretary''.
1984--Subsecs. (b)(2), (c), (e)(1)(A), (f). Pub. L. 98-241 struck
out ``, the Secretary of Defense,'' after ``Secretary'' wherever
appearing.
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the
Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to
the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related
references, see sections 313(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6,
Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security
Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note
under section 542 of Title 6.
Functions of National Fire Prevention and Control Administration
[now United States Fire Administration] and National Academy for Fire
Prevention and Control generally transferred to Federal Emergency
Management Agency. For further details see Transfer of Functions note
set out under section 2202 of this title.
Ex. Ord. No. 13161. Establishment of the Presidential Medal of Valor for
Public Safety Officers
Ex. Ord. No. 13161, June 29, 2000, 65 F.R. 41543, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States of America, it is ordered:
Section 1. The Presidential Medal of Valor for Public Safety
Officers (Medal) is established for the purpose of recognizing those
public safety officers adjudged to have shown extraordinary valor above
and beyond the call of duty in the exercise of their official duties. As
used in this section, the term ``public safety officer'' means a person
serving a public agency with or without compensation:
(1) as a law enforcement officer, including police,
correctional, probation, or parole officers;
(2) as a firefighter or emergency responder; and
(3) who is employed by the Government of the United States, any
State of the United States, any officially recognized elective body
within a State of the United States, or any Federally recognized
tribal organization.
Sec. 2. Eligible recipients generally will be recommended to the
President by the Attorney General by April 1 of each year. Pursuant to
36 U.S.C. 136-137, the President designates May 15 of each year as
``Peace Officers Memorial Day'' and the week in which it falls as
``Police Week.'' Presentation of the Medal shall occur at an appropriate
time during the commemoration of Police Week, as far as is practicable.
Sec. 3. The President may select for the Medal up to ten persons
annually from among those persons recommended to the President by the
Attorney General. In submitting recommendations to the President, the
Attorney General may consult with experts representing all segments of
the public safety sector, including representatives from law
enforcement, firefighters, and emergency services.
Sec. 4. Those chosen for recognition shall receive a medal and a
certificate, the designs of which shall be submitted by the Attorney
General for the President's approval no later than December 1, 2000. The
medal and certificate shall be prepared by the Department of Justice.
Sec. 5. The Medal may be given posthumously.
William J. Clinton.
