# Understanding the Doris Miller Medal of Honor Bill

This bill is a straightforward request: it gives the President permission to award the Medal of Honor—the highest military decoration in the United States—to Doris Miller after his death. Miller was a Navy sailor who died in World War II, and this honor recognizes his extraordinary bravery during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Here's what Miller actually did. When Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor, Miller was serving on the USS West Virginia in a support role—like many African American sailors at the time, he wasn't allowed to serve in combat positions because of racial discrimination in the Navy. Despite this limitation, when the attack happened, Miller didn't abandon his post. He helped move his mortally wounded captain to safety while enemy planes were actively bombing and strafing the ship. He then took control of a machine gun and fired at attacking Japanese aircraft until he was ordered to leave the bridge. His actions directly saved multiple sailors' lives by pulling them through burning oil and water to safety. The Navy recognized his heroism by awarding him the Navy Cross in 1942, but he died in action less than two years later when a Japanese torpedo sank his ship in the Pacific.

The reason this bill matters is about fairness and recognition. Of the 15 sailors awarded the Medal of Honor for similar heroic actions during the Pearl Harbor attack, not a single one was African American—despite Miller's actions being just as brave and lifesaving as theirs. This bill removes the legal barriers that normally prevent medals from being awarded decades after the fact, allowing the country to finally give Miller the highest honor he deserved all along. It's essentially Congress saying that a historical injustice should be corrected, and that Miller's courage and sacrifice should be recognized at the same level as his white counterparts.

To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Doris Miller posthumously for acts of valor while a member of the Navy during World War II.

Mfume, Kweisi

 <p>This bill authorizes the President to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Doris Miller for acts of valor as a member of the Navy during World War II.</p>