46 U.S.C. § 51901 — Awards for individual acts or service

(a) General Authority. The Secretary of Transportation may award decorations and medals -- including ribbons, ribbon bars, emblems, rosettes, miniature copies, plaques, citations, or similar devices -- for individual acts or service in the U.S. merchant marine. These can look like decorations given to armed forces members for similar acts. (b) Specific Authority. The Secretary may award: (1) a Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for outstanding acts, conduct, or valor beyond the call of duty; (2) a Merchant Marine Meritorious Service Medal for meritorious acts, conduct, or valor within the line of duty, but not outstanding enough for the Distinguished Service Medal; (3) a decoration or medal for service during a war, a presidential or congressional national emergency, or armed forces operations outside the continental U.S. under dangerous conditions; and (4) a decoration or medal for other acts of conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity, or extraordinary heroism under dangerous conditions, of a kind that would earn a similar award for an armed forces member.