51 USC § 30901 - Congressional Space Medal of Honor

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t51/s30901"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "51 USC § 30901 - Congressional Space Medal of Honor"
title_number: 51
title_name: "NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS"
section_number: "30901"
section_name: "Congressional Space Medal of Honor"
chapter_number: 309
chapter_name: "AWARDS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3371.)"
---


# § 30901. Congressional Space Medal of Honor

**(a)** **Authority To Award.—** The President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a medal of appropriate design, which shall be known as the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, to any astronaut who in the performance of the astronaut’s duties has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the Nation and of humankind.

**(b)** **Appropriations.—** There is authorized to be appropriated from time to time such sums of money as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3371.)

| RevisedSection | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30901(a) | 42 U.S.C. 2461 (1st par.). | Pub. L. 91–76, § 1, Sept. 29, 1969, 83 Stat. 124. |
| 30901(b) | 42 U.S.C. 2461 (last par.). | Pub. L. 91–76, § 2, Sept. 29, 1969, 83 Stat. 124. |