,i  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ieie  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #f1 #bjbf,mr4  
,hernndez 7for himself and ,ms4         
,velzquez7 introduced the following     
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,armed ,services  ,a      
,,bill  ,to authorize the ,president to 
posthumously award the ,medal of ,honor 
to ,sergeant ,first ,class ,jorge ,otero
 ,barreto for acts of valor as a member 
of the ,army during the ,vietnam ,war4  
#a4 ,short title  ,this ,act may be     
cited as the ,sergeant ,first ,class    
,jorge ,otero ,barreto ,medal of ,honor 
,act4  #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the
 following3 7#a7 ,sergeant ,first ,class
 ,jorge ,otero ,barreto of the ,united  
,states ,army1 born in ,vega ,baja1     
,puerto ,rico1 served the ,united       
,states with extraordinary distinction1 
unwavering courage1 and unparalleled    
dedication throughout his military      
career from #aiei to #aigj4  7#b7       
,sergeant ,first ,class ,jorge ,otero   

,barreto distinguished himself as the   
first ,puerto ,rican graduate of the    
,army ,air ,assault ,school and went on 
to serve five consecutive voluntary     
tours of duty in the ,republic of       
,vietnam1 reflecting exceptional        
courage1 sacrifice1 and devotion to the 
,united ,states4  7#c7 ,throughout his  
five combat tours1 ,sergeant ,first     
,class ,jorge ,otero ,barreto           
participated in more than #bjj combat   
and aerial missions1 demonstrating      
extraordinary courage and resilience    
under fire while protecting his fellow  
soldiers and carrying out missions with 
distinction as a member of the #ajast   
,airborne ,division and the #hbnd       
,airborne ,division4  7#d7 ,sergeant    
,first ,class ,jorge ,otero ,barreto    
earned #ch military decorations in      
recognition of his extraordinary valor1 
service1 and sacrifice during the       
,vietnam ,war1 including two ,silver    
,stars1 five ,bronze ,star ,medals with 
,v ,device for valor1 five ,purple      

,hearts awarded for wounds sustained in 
combat1 and seven ,air ,medals4  7#e7   
,on ,may #a1 #aifh1 during ,operation   
,carentan ,,ii near ,hu1 ,sergeant      
,first ,class ,jorge ,otero ,barreto's  
platoon was subjected to a fierce1      
multi-wave assault by an overwhelming   
,north ,vietnamese ,army force4         
,sergeant ,first ,class ,otero ,barreto 
single-handedly neutralized a fortified 
enemy machine gun emplacement and its   
three-man crew1 then led his squad in   
clearing three additional enemy bunkers1
 saving the lives of his fellow         
soldiers4  7#f7 ,sergeant ,first ,class 
,jorge ,otero ,barreto passed away on   
,october #ad1 #bjbd1 at the age of #hg1 
leaving behind an enduring legacy of    
service that extended far beyond the    
battlefield1 including decades of work  
as a veterans' counselor helping fellow 
veterans overcome post-traumatic stress 
and substance abuse4  7#g7 ,the         
extraordinary heroism1 gallantry1 and   
selflessness demonstrated by ,sergeant  

,first ,class ,jorge ,otero ,barreto    
merit the highest honor that the ,united
 ,states can bestow upon a member of the
 ,armed ,forces4  #c4  ,authorization   
for posthumous award of ,medal of ,honor
 to ,sergeant ,first ,class ,jorge      
,otero ,barreto for acts of valor as a  
member of the ,army during the ,vietnam 
,war  ,notwithstanding the time         
limitations specified in section #gbgd  
of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 or 
any other time limitation with respect  
to the awarding of certain medals to    
persons who served in the ,armed        
,forces1 the ,president is authorized to
 posthumously award the ,medal of       
,honor1 under section #gbga of such     
title1 to ,sergeant ,first ,class ,jorge
 ,otero ,barreto for acts of valor as a 
member of the ,army during the ,vietnam 
,war4