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Merchant Marine Decorations and Medals Act

Public Law 100-324 · H.R. 1430 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 30, 1988 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-NY-19)

Cosponsors (32): Rep. Walter Jones,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Merchant Marine Decorations and Medals Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to award decorations and medals for individual acts or service in the U.S. merchant marine.

Permits the Secretary of Transportation to award: (1) a Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for outstanding acts beyond the line of duty; (2) a Merchant Marine Meritorious Service Medal for meritorious acts, but lacking the outstanding character required for the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal; (3) a decoration or medal for service during a war or national emergency or during armed forces operations outside the United States under conditions of danger to life and property; and (4) a decoration or medal to an individual for acts of conspicuous gallantry.

Permits the Secretary of Transportation to issue a Gallant Ship Award for actions during marine disasters or emergencies aimed at saving lives or property. Requires consultation with the Secretary of State before issuance of an award or citation to a foreign-flag vessel.

Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from awarding more than one of any type of decoration or medal to an individual.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide at cost, or authorize for manufacture and sale at reasonable prices: (1) decorations and medals for individual acts or service in the merchant marine; and (2) replacements for decorations and medals issued under a prior law. Permits the decorations and medals to be of similar design as are authorized for members of U.S. armed forces for similar acts or service.

Permits the Secretary of Transportation to issue without cost a U.S. flag and a grave marker to the family or personal representative of a deceased individual who served in the merchant marine in support of the armed forces in wars or national emergencies.

Permits the Maritime Administrator to issue a special certificate in recognition of service to an individual whose service in the U.S. merchant marine has been determined to be active duty under specified Federal law. Declares the issuance of such certificate does not entitle the individual to any rights, privileges, or benefits under any U.S. laws.

Establishes a civil penalty of $2,000 for unauthorized display, manufacture, possession, or sale of a decoration or medal.

Repeals the Merchant Marine Medals Act.

Amends Federal law relating to the setting aside of specified surplus government ships in the National Defense Reserve Fleet for the use of a private organization for humanitarian services to substitute one ship for another in the designation of which ships are to be set aside. Extends the time to carry out the purposes of the Act until 1992.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.

  1. May 30, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-324.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. May 19, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. May 13, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. May 4, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  6. Mar 29, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  7. Mar 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  8. Mar 8, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  9. Mar 4, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  10. Feb 24, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  11. Feb 3, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  13. May 7, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  14. Mar 10, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  15. Mar 5, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
  16. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.