Congress · Laws

Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001

Public Law 107-12 · H.R. 802 · 107th Congress · began in the House

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on May 30, 2001 · Commemorations

Sponsor: Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX-21)

Cosponsors (4): Rep. Bobby Scott, Rep. Asa Hutchinson,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 414 yea, 0 nay414–0
SenateUnanimous consent

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.

Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001 - Authorizes the President to award and present in the name of Congress a Medal of Valor to a public safety officer cited by the Attorney General, upon the recommendation of the Medal of Valor Review Board, for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty. Declares the Public Safety Medal of Valor to be the highest national award for valor by a public safety officer.

Establishes: (1) the Medal of Valor Review Board to select and recommend candidates as Medal recipients; and (2) a national medal of valor office within the Department of Justice.

Authorizes appropriations.

Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to establish the Secretary's Award For Distinguished Public Safety Service to be awarded by the Secretary of Commerce for outstanding and distinguished service by public safety officers.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 107th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 414 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

414 yea0 nay19 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(202)

Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Barbara LeeD-CA-9
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-26
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Jan SchakowskyD-IL-9
Rep. Dennis KucinichD-OH-10
Rep. Michael CapuanoD-MA-8
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. Tammy BaldwinD-WI-2
Rep. Jim McGovernD-MA-3
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT
Rep. Mike HondaD-CA-15
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. Earl HilliardD-AL-7
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-4
Rep. Tom UdallD-NM-3
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-10
Rep. Diana DeGetteD-CO-1
Rep. Hilda SolisD-CA-31
Rep. Bill DelahuntD-MA-10
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-8
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Danny DavisD-IL-7
Rep. Wm. ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Mark UdallD-CO-2
Rep. Eva ClaytonD-NC-1
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-33
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3
Rep. Rush HoltD-NJ-12
Rep. Carolyn KilpatrickD-MI-15
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-29
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Lynn RiversD-MI-13
Rep. Carrie MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Grace NapolitanoD-CA-34
Rep. Mike ThompsonD-CA-1
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Betty McCollumD-MN-4
Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. Julia CarsonD-IN-10
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. Anthony WeinerD-NY-9
Rep. Brian BairdD-WA-3
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
Rep. Elijah CummingsD-MD-7
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Gregory MeeksD-NY-6
Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
Rep. Tom AllenD-ME-1
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonaldD-CA-37
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Loretta SanchezD-CA-46
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2
Rep. David WuD-OR-1
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-1
Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Karen McCarthyD-MO-5
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Ciro RodriguezD-TX-28
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. Brad ShermanD-CA-24
Rep. Jim LangevinD-RI-2
Rep. Robert WexlerD-FL-19
Rep. Joe CrowleyD-NY-7
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. John LarsonD-CT-1
Rep. Rick LarsenD-WA-2
Rep. Lois CappsD-CA-22
Rep. John BaldacciD-ME-2
Rep. Charlie GonzalezD-TX-20
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Joseph HoeffelD-PA-13
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Joe BacaD-CA-42
Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-9
Rep. Susan DavisD-CA-49
Rep. William LutherD-MN-6
Rep. Karen ThurmanD-FL-5
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12
Rep. Shelley BerkleyD-NV-1
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Darlene HooleyD-OR-5
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Dennis MooreD-KS-3
Rep. Nick LampsonD-TX-9
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Rod BlagojevichD-IL-5
Rep. Ron KindD-WI-3
Rep. Bob EtheridgeD-NC-2
Rep. Rubén HinojosaD-TX-15
Rep. Adam SchiffD-CA-27
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Silvestre ReyesD-TX-16
Rep. Ellen TauscherD-CA-10
Rep. Max SandlinD-TX-1
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-18
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Ken BentsenD-TX-25
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Carolyn McCarthyD-NY-4
Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-18
Rep. Steve IsraelD-NY-2
Rep. Jane HarmanD-CA-36
Rep. Jim DavisD-FL-11
Rep. Adam SmithD-WA-9
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. Frank MascaraD-PA-20
Rep. Marion BerryD-AR-1
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Leonard BoswellD-IA-3
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. Vic SnyderD-AR-2
Rep. Baron HillD-IN-9
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11
Rep. James MaloneyD-CT-5
Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
Rep. Brad CarsonD-OK-2
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Allen BoydD-FL-2
Rep. Jim MathesonD-UT-2
Rep. Mike McIntyreD-NC-7
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Mike RossD-AR-4
Rep. Jim TurnerD-TX-2
Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-6
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. David PhelpsD-IL-19
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5
Rep. James BarciaD-MI-5
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Chris JohnD-LA-7
Rep. Ronnie ShowsD-MS-4
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5
Rep. Ken LucasD-KY-4
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17

Republicans who voted yea(211)

Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-20
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-23
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Stephen HornR-CA-38
Rep. Greg GanskeR-IA-4
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
Rep. Timothy JohnsonR-IL-15
Rep. Rob SimmonsR-CT-2
Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. John ThuneR-SD
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-19
Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-31
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. John McHughR-NY-24
Rep. Doug OseR-CA-3
Rep. Shelley CapitoR-WV-2
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Felix GrucciR-NY-1
Rep. Heather WilsonR-NM-1
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Todd PlattsR-PA-19
Rep. Mark KirkR-IL-10
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. John SweeneyR-NY-22
Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Tom OsborneR-NE-3
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18
Rep. Lindsey GrahamR-SC-3
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-21
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
Rep. Mary Bono MackR-CA-44
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Mike FergusonR-NJ-7
Rep. Jo Ann EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Robert EhrlichR-MD-2
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Ernie FletcherR-KY-6
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-5
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3
Rep. Anne NorthupR-KY-3
Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7
Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2
Rep. Denny RehbergR-MT
Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-51
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-40
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-21
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15
Rep. Judy BiggertR-IL-13
Rep. John ShimkusR-IL-20
Rep. Thomas ReynoldsR-NY-27
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Johnny IsaksonR-GA-6
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-43
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-23
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-11
Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. Don SherwoodR-PA-10
Rep. John PetersonR-PA-5
Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Kenny HulshofR-MO-9
Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-5
Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-2
Rep. John CookseyR-LA-5
Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4
Rep. Mike SimpsonR-ID-2
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Ander CrenshawR-FL-4
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Vito FossellaR-NY-13
Rep. Asa HutchinsonR-AR-3
Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-48
Rep. Melissa HartR-PA-4
Rep. George NethercuttR-WA-5
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. David DreierR-CA-28
Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. Billy TauzinR-LA-3
Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Robin HayesR-NC-8
Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Saxby ChamblissR-GA-8
Rep. Wes WatkinsR-OK-3
Rep. Mike RogersR-MI-8
Rep. Bill JenkinsR-TN-1
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-6
Rep. Richard BurrR-NC-5
Rep. J.C. WattsR-OK-4
Rep. Chip PickeringR-MS-3
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1
Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4
Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4
Rep. Ed SchrockR-VA-2
Rep. Sam GravesR-MO-6
Rep. Lee TerryR-NE-2
Rep. Adam PutnamR-FL-12
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52
Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19
Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Bob RileyR-AL-3
Rep. Van HillearyR-TN-4
Rep. Ed BryantR-TN-7
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. John LinderR-GA-11
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-4
Rep. Roy BluntR-MO-7
Rep. Pat TiberiR-OH-12
Rep. John SununuR-NH-1
Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
Rep. David VitterR-LA-1
Rep. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
Rep. Jo Ann DavisR-VA-1
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2
Rep. Ric KellerR-FL-8
Rep. Jim GibbonsR-NV-2
Rep. Nathan DealR-GA-9
Rep. Jerry MoranR-KS-1
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13
Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-10
Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Donald ManzulloR-IL-16
Rep. Paul RyanR-WI-1
Rep. Mark GreenR-WI-8
Rep. Steve LargentR-OK-1
Rep. Gary MillerR-CA-41
Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Rep. Nick SmithR-MI-7
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Eric CantorR-VA-7
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-6
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6
Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-47
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15
Rep. Mark KennedyR-MN-2
Rep. Mac CollinsR-GA-3
Rep. Jim DeMintR-SC-4
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Pete SessionsR-TX-5
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1
Rep. Jim RyunR-KS-2
Rep. Butch OtterR-ID-1
Rep. Bob BarrR-GA-7
Rep. John CulbersonR-TX-7
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Mike PenceR-IN-2
Rep. Todd AkinR-MO-2
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-4
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-45
Rep. Brian KernsR-IN-7
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-8
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-39
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Tom TancredoR-CO-6
Rep. Ron PaulR-TX-14
Rep. Bob SchafferR-CO-4
Rep. Jeff FlakeR-AZ-1

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 58 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

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

Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported by
Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported by

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. 15 actions.

May 30, 2001Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-12.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
May 18, 2001PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
May 14, 2001FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
May 10, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
Mar 22, 2001FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 414 - 0 (Roll no. 59).House roll call 59
FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
FloorFloor · Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
Mar 13, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
Mar 8, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
Feb 28, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
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.