A bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres.

Summary: .  Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal in honor of President Shimon Peres of Israel.

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Shimon Peres was born in Poland in 1923.
            (2) The Peres family emigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934, and all 
        of the family members of Shimon Peres who remained in Poland 
        were murdered during the Holocaust.
            (3) Before Israel gained independence, Shimon Peres earned 
        the respect of senior leaders in the independence movement in 
        Israel, most notably David Ben-Gurion.
            (4) The founding generation of Israel was central to the 
        development of Israel, and Shimon Peres is the only surviving 
        member of that founding generation.
            (5) Shimon Peres has served in numerous high-level cabinet 
        positions and ministerial posts in Israel, including head of 
        the Israeli Navy, Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Prime 
        Minister, and President, among many others.
            (6) Shimon Peres has honorably served Israel for over 70 
        years, during which he has significantly contributed to United 
        States interests and has played a pivotal role in forging the 
        strong and unbreakable bond between the United States and 
        Israel.
            (7) By presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon 
        Peres, the first to be awarded to a sitting President of 
        Israel, Congress proclaims its unbreakable bond with Israel and 
        reaffirms its continual support for Israel as we commemorate 
        the 65th anniversary of the independence of Israel and the 90th 
        birthday of Shimon Peres, which are both significant milestones 
        in Israeli history.
            (8) Maintaining strong bilateral relations between the 
        United States and Israel has been a priority of Shimon Peres 
        since he began working with the United States in the days of 
        John F. Kennedy. The strong bond is exemplified by the 
        following:
                    (A) President Reagan said to Shimon Peres upon his 
                visit to the United States, ``Mr. Prime Minister, I 
                thank you very much for your visit. It's been an 
                occasion to renew a friendship and to review and 
                enhance the strength of our unique bilateral 
                relationship.''
                    (B) At another point President Reagan said of 
                Shimon Peres, ``His vision, his statesmanship and his 
                tenacity are greatly appreciated here.''
                    (C) While visiting with Shimon Peres at the 
                Residence of the President in Jerusalem, President 
                Obama described Shimon Peres as ``. . . a son of Israel 
                who's devoted his life to keeping Israel strong and 
                sustaining the bonds between our two nations''.
                    (D) On March 20, 2013, Shimon Peres reaffirmed his 
                belief in the relationship between the United States 
                and Israel, stating, ``America stood by our side from 
                the very beginning. You support us as we rebuild our 
                ancient homeland and as we defend our land. From 
                Holocaust to redemption.''
                    (E) On March 21, 2013, Shimon Peres stated, ``. . . 
                America is so great and we are so small. But I learned 
                that you don't measure us by size, but by values. When 
                it comes to values, we are you and you are us. . . . As 
                I look back, I feel that the Israel of today has 
                exceeded the vision we had 65 years ago. Reality has 
                surpassed our dreams. The United States of America 
                helped us to make this possible.''

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Award Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the Senate and 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make appropriate 
arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold 
medal of appropriate design to President Shimon Peres.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the award referred to 
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall strike a gold 
medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined 
by the Secretary.

SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may 
prescribe, the Secretary may strike duplicate medals in bronze of the 
gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 and sell such duplicate medals 
at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including 
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

    (a) Authorization of Charges.--There is authorized to be charged 
against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, such amounts as 
may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck pursuant to 
this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States 
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

            Passed the Senate March 13, 2014.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
113th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1456

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

         To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres.