---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 50312"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "50312"
heading: "Nominations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/50312"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Personnel"
  - "Chapter 503 — Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery"
  - "Subchapter I — Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery"
---

# §50312. Nominations

- (a) **In general—** A [Federal agency head](/usc/34/50301.md?p=1) may nominate for a [Federal Law Enforcement Badge](/usc/34/50301.md?p=4) an individual—
  - (1) who is a [Federal law enforcement officer](/usc/34/50301.md?p=5) working within the agency of the [Federal agency head](/usc/34/50301.md?p=1) making the nomination; and
  - (2) who—
    - (A)
      - (i) sustained a physical injury while—
        - (I) engaged in the lawful duties of the individual; and
        - (II) performing an act characterized as bravery by the [Federal agency head](/usc/34/50301.md?p=1) making the nomination; and
      - (ii) put the individual at personal risk when the injury described in [clause (i)](#a-2-A-i) occurred; or
    - (B) while not injured, performed an act characterized as bravery by the [Federal agency head](/usc/34/50301.md?p=1) making the nomination that placed the individual at risk of serious physical injury or death.
- (b) **Contents—** A nomination under [subsection (a)](#a) shall include—
  - (1) a written narrative, of not more than 2 pages, describing the circumstances under which the nominee performed the act of bravery described in [subsection (a)](#a) and how the circumstances meet the criteria described in such subsection;
  - (2) the full name of the nominee;
  - (3) the home mailing address of the nominee;
  - (4) the agency in which the nominee served on the date when such nominee performed the act of bravery described in [subsection (a)](#a);
  - (5) the occupational title and grade or rank of the nominee;
  - (6) the field [office](/usc/34/50301.md?p=6) address of the nominee on the date when such nominee performed the act of bravery described in [subsection (a)](#a); and
  - (7) the number of years of Government service by the nominee as of the date when such nominee performed the act of bravery described in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Submission deadline—** A [Federal agency head](/usc/34/50301.md?p=1) shall submit each nomination under [subsection (a)](#a) to the [Office](/usc/34/50301.md?p=6) not later than February 15 of the year following the date on which the nominee performed the act of bravery described in [subsection (a)](#a).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–298, title I, § 102, July 31, 2008, 122 Stat. 2986.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 15242 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.