{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr4354-114/featured_to-affirm-the-power-of-the-president-to-revoke-the-presidential-medal-of-freedom-awarded-to-bill-cosby-and-to-p-1454551890.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr4354-114/featured_large_to-affirm-the-power-of-the-president-to-revoke-the-presidential-medal-of-freedom-awarded-to-bill-cosby-and-to-p-1454551890.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr4354-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2016-01-08","title_override":"Should Bill Cosby Lose His Presidential Medal of Freedom?","summary_override":"

This bill would affirm the President Obama's authority to revoke Bill Cosby’s Presidential Medal of Freedom (and urge him to do so). The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, is awarded to honor contributions of:

security or national interests of the United States;
world peace;
cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

Bill Cosby received the medal from George W. Bush in 2002 for achievements including:

“revolutioniz[ing] the portrayal of African Americans on television.”

In 2015, over 50 women accused Cosby of drugging and/or sexually assaulting them. That July, the Daily News reported:

“Bill Cosby admitted under oath that he bought Quaaludes to dope the women he wanted to grope—and slipped the sedative to at least one lady.”

In December, prosecutors in Pennsylvania charged him with a 2004 sexual assault.

According to the bill, “Cosby has admitted to drugging women with the intention to satisfy his sexual desires, and, therefore, the Federal Government should not recognize Cosby with an honor like the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

In addition, the legislation would make it illegal for anyone has had their Presidential Medal of Freedom revoked to wear it or put it on public display. Punishment would be a fine or imprisonment.","official_title":"To affirm the power of the President to revoke the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to Bill Cosby and to provide for criminal penalties for anyone who wears or publicly displays a Presidential Medal of Freedom that has been revoked.","short_title":null,"popular_title":null,"short_summary":"This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the President should revoke the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to William Henry (Bill) Cosby in 2002.\n\nAdditionally, it amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to fraudulently wear or publicly display a Presidential Medal of Freedom that has been revoked. A violator is subject to a fine, up to one year in prison, or both.","summarized":true,"cost":0,"cost_commentary":"This bill should not have any conceivable costs. ","impact":"Bill Cosby, his detractors and fans, other recipients of the Medal, and Congress.","argument_for":"Anyone who drugs and rapes multiple women should not hold the United States’ highest civilian honor. It is a disgrace to his victims and the country. ","argument_against":"Bill Cosby was awarded the Medal of Freedom for his cultural achievements, not his morality. Revoking this honor would set a bad precedent. 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If you gave the Medal of Honor to a soldier and found out later that his acts were fabricated, the medal would be revoked. Subjecting many women to pain and suffering is not in keeping with the honor he was bestowed. ","argument_against":null,"show_argument_for":true,"show_argument_against":false,"upvote_count":0,"upvotes_for_count":0,"upvotes_against_count":null,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/positions/aa865d51-a832-4782-aaaf-41d308b0b81f"},"body":"This many women do not come forward about one individual without the allegations being at least somewhat true. If you gave the Medal of Honor to a soldier and found out later that his acts were fabricated, the medal would be revoked. Subjecting many women to pain and suffering is not in keeping with the honor he was bestowed. 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Should Bill Cosby Lose His Presidential Medal of Freedom?