Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008
Public Law 110-298 · S. 2565 · 110th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jul 31, 2008 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE)
Cosponsors (10): Sen. John Sununu, Sen. Arlen Specter,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008 - Title I: Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery - Authorizes the Attorney General to award a Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery to a federal law enforcement officer who is cited by the Attorney General for performing an act of bravery while in the line of duty.
Sets forth criteria for nominating a law enforcement officer for such Badge. Requires nominated officers to have: (1) sustained a physical injury while engaged in lawful duties and performing an act of bravery that put such officer at personal risk; or (2) performed an act of bravery that placed such officer at risk of serious physical injury or death.
Establishes within the Department of Justice (DOJ) a Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Board to: (1) design such Badge; (2) select an engraver to produce such Badges; and (3) recommend recipients. Sets forth administrative provisions relating to the Board, including its membership, operations, and powers.
Authorizes a Member of Congress to make a presentation of such a Badge to a federal law enforcement officer residing in such Member's congressional district. Directs the Attorney General to make such presentation otherwise.
Title II: State And Local Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery - Authorizes the Attorney General to award a State and Local Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery to a state or local law enforcement officer who is cited by the Attorney General for performing an act of bravery while in the line of duty.
Establishes a State and Local Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Board within DOJ to design such Badge, select an engraver, and recommend recipients, who may be presented their Badge by their Member of Congress.
Title III: Congressional Badge of Bravery Office - Establishes in DOJ a Congressional Badge of Bravery Office to receive nominations for such Badges and to provide staff support to the Boards.
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.
Related bills
2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 3211Related bill
Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2007
H.R. 4056Related bill
Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.
- Jul 31, 2008Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 110-298.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 25, 2008FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jul 22, 2008FloorFloor · 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 voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2565.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Scott (VA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- Jul 8, 2008FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Jun 27, 2008FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jun 26, 2008FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 24, 2008CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 833.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
- May 15, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
- Jan 29, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S447-448)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.