PUBLIC LAW 105-85—NOV. 18, 1997 111 STAT. 1759 (b) TIME FOR SUBMISSION OF RECOMMENDATION.—Any recommendation for award of a unit decoration under subsection (a) shall be submitted to the Secretary concerned (as defined in section 101(a)(9) of title 10, United States Code), or to such other official as the Secretary concerned may designate, not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, SEC. 577. RETROACTIVITY OF MEDAL OF HONOR SPECIAL PENSION. (a) ENTITLEMENT. —In the case of Vernon J. Baker, Edward A, Carter, Junior, and Charles L. Thomas, who were awarded the Medal of Honor pursuant to section 561 of Public Law 104- 201 (110 Stat. 2529) and whose names have been entered and recorded on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll, the entitlement of those persons to the special pension provided under section 1562 of title 38, United States Code (and antecedent provisions of law), shall be effective as follows: (1) In the case of Vernon J. Baker, for months that begin after April 1945. (2) In the case of Edward A. Carter, Junior, for months that begin after March 1945. (3) In the case of Charles L. Thomas, for months that begin after December 1944. (b) AMOUNT. — The amount of the special pension payable under subsection (a) for a month beginning before the date of the enactment of this Act shall be the amount of the special pension provided by law for that month for persons entered and recorded on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll (or an antecedent Medal of Honor Roll required by law). (c) PAYMENT TO NEXT OF KIN. —In the case of a person referred to in subsection (a) who died before receiving full payment of the pension pursuant to this section, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pay the total amount of the accrued pension, upon receipt of application for payment within one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, to the deceased person's spouse or, if there is no surviving spouse, then to the deceased person's children, per stirpes, in equal shares. Subtitle H—Military Justice Matters SEC. 581. ESTABLISHMENT OF SENTENCE OF CONFINEMENT FOR LIFE WITHOUT ELIGIBILITY FOR PAROLE. (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF SENTENCE.— (1) Chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by inserting after section 856 (article 56) the following new section (article): "§856a. Art. 56a. Sentence of confinement for life without eligibility for parole "(a) For any offense for which a sentence of confinement for life may be adjudged, a court-martial may adjudge a sentence of confinement for life without eligibility for parole. "(b) An accused who is sentenced to confinement for life without eligibility for parole shall be confined for the remainder of the accused's life unless— "(1) the sentence is set aside or otherwise modified as a result of—
�
