Proponents of Cushing's medal fought opponents, including former U.S. Senator James Webb, a Virginia Democrat who served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam. He stripped legislative language authorizing the award in 2012, saying more than 150 years later it was impossible to verify the circumstances of battle to determine whether the highest military honor was merited.
U.S. law requires recommendations for the Medal of Honor to be made within two years of the event. Also, I have my doubts about some of the Civil War Medals of Honor as that was when they were first given and nowhere near the paperwork required no took place. There were instances when a whole unit would receive them.
Of course, perhaps Webb's opposition might have come from Cushing being a Union soldier.
New legislation to award Cushing the honor was passed in December 2013.
--Old Secesh
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