▁of ▁Val or ▁Act ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁( , ▁, ▁, ▁May ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 ). ▁It ▁is ▁still ▁awarded ▁and ▁presented ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁but ▁now ▁it ▁is ▁done ▁in ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁as ▁recommended ▁by ▁the ▁eleven - member ▁Medal ▁of ▁Val or ▁Review ▁Board . ▁The ▁Att orney ▁General ▁no ▁longer ▁makes ▁recommend ations ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁President ▁but ▁can ▁provide ▁input ▁into ▁the ▁process ▁via ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice ' s ▁National ▁Medal ▁of ▁Val or ▁Office ' s ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Review ▁Board . ▁The ▁medal ▁can ▁still ▁be ▁awarded ▁post hum ously . ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Medal ▁of ▁Val or , ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁Federal ▁awards ▁to ▁specifically ▁acknow ledge ▁the ▁bra very ▁performed ▁by ▁public ▁safety ▁officers ▁throughout ▁the ▁United ▁States ; ▁police ▁and ▁fire f ight ing ▁depart ments ▁typically ▁award ▁their ▁members ▁med als ▁at ▁a ▁state ▁or ▁local ▁government ▁level . ▁The ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Medal ▁of ▁Val or ▁filled ▁a ▁huge ▁void ▁in ▁the ▁civil ian ▁decor ations ▁system ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁which ▁was ▁all ▁the ▁more ▁tim ely ▁given ▁the ▁cat ast rop he ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁three - and - a - half ▁months ▁later ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁( In ▁the ▁end , ▁however , ▁the ▁ 4 4 2 ▁public ▁safety ▁officers ▁killed ▁at ▁World ▁Trade ▁Center ▁and