PUBLIC LAW 115–60—SEPT. 15, 2017 

BOB DOLE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD 

MEDAL ACT 


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131 STAT. 1154 PUBLIC LAW 115–60—SEPT. 15, 2017 

Public Law 115–60 

115th Congress 

An Act 

To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Bob Dole, in recognition for his service 

to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bob Dole Congressional Gold 

Medal Act’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

Congress finds the following: 

(1) Bob Dole was born on July 22, 1923, in Russell, Kansas. 

(2) Growing up during the Great Depression, Bob Dole 

learned the values of hard work and discipline, and worked 

at a local drug store. 

(3) In 1941, Bob Dole enrolled at the University of Kansas 

as a pre-medical student. During his time at KU he played 

for the basketball, football, and track teams, and joined the 

Kappa Sigma Fraternity, from which he would receive the 

‘‘Man of the Year’’ award in 1970. 

(4) Bob Dole’s collegiate studies were interrupted by WWII, 

and he enlisted in the United States Army. During a military 

offensive in Italy, he was seriously wounded while trying to 

save a fellow soldier. Despite his grave injuries, Dole recovered 

and was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with 

an Oak Cluster for his service. He also received an American 

Campaign Medal, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal. 

(5) While working on his law degree from Washburn 

University, Bob Dole was elected into the Kansas House of 

Representatives, serving from 1951–1953. 

(6) Bob Dole was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives and served two Kansas districts from 1961–1969. 

(7) In 1969, Bob Dole was elected into the U.S. Senate 

and served until 1996. Over the course of this period, he served 

as Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chairman 

of the Finance Committee, Senate Minority Leader, and Senate 

Majority Leader. 

(8) Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across 

the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship on issues such 

as Social Security. 

(9) Bob Dole has been a life-long advocate for the disabled 

and was a key figure in the passing of the Americans with 

Disabilities Act in 1990. 

Bob Dole 

Congressional 

Gold Medal Act. 

31 USC 5111 

note. 

Sept. 15, 2017 

[S. 1616] 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–60—SEPT. 15, 2017 131 STAT. 1155 

(10) After his appointment as Majority Leader, Bob Dole 

set the record as the nation’s longest-serving Republican Leader 

in the Senate. 

(11) Several Presidents of the United States have specially 

honored Bob Dole for his hard work and leadership in the 

public sector. This recognition is exemplified by the following: 

(A) President Reagan awarded Bob Dole the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1989 stating, ‘‘Whether on the 

battlefield or Capitol Hill, Senator Dole has served America 

heroically. Senate Majority Leader during one of the most 

productive Congresses of recent time, he has also been 

a friend to veterans, farmers, and Americans from every 

walk of life. Bob Dole has stood for integrity, straight 

talk and achievement throughout his years of distinguished 

public service.’’. 

(B) Upon awarding Bob Dole with the Presidential 

Medal of Freedom in 1997, President Clinton made the 

following comments, ‘‘Son of the soil, citizen, soldier and 

legislator, Bob Dole understands the American people, their 

struggles, their triumphs and their dreams . . . In times 

of conflict and crisis, he has worked to keep America united 

and strong . . . our country is better for his courage, his 

determination, and his willingness to go the long course 

to lead America.’’. 

(12) After his career in public office, Bob Dole became 

an active advocate for the public good. He served as National 

Chairman of the World War II Memorial Campaign, helping 

raise over $197 million to construct the National WWII Memorial, and as Co-Chair of the Families of Freedom Scholarship 

Fund, raising over $120 million for the educational needs of 

the families of victims of 9/11. 

(13) From 1997–2001, Bob Dole served as chairman of 

the International Commission on Missing Persons in the 

Former Yugoslavia. 

(14) In 2003, Bob Dole established The Robert J. Dole 

Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas to encourage 

bipartisanship in politics. 

(15) Bob Dole is a strong proponent of international justice 

and, in 2004, received the Golden Medal of Freedom from 

the President of Kosovo for his support of democracy and 

freedom in Kosovo. 

(16) In 2007, President George W. Bush appointed Bob 

Dole to co-chair the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors, which inspected the system 

of medical care received by U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq 

and Afghanistan. 

(17) Bob Dole was the co-creator of the McGovern-Dole 

International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, 

helping combat child hunger and poverty. In 2008, he was 

co-awarded the World Food Prize for his work with this 

organization. 

(18) Bob Dole is co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center 

which works to develop policies suitable for bipartisan support. 

(19) Bob Dole is a strong advocate for veterans, having 

volunteered on a weekly basis for more than a decade on 

behalf of the Honor Flight Network. 


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131 STAT. 1156 PUBLIC LAW 115–60—SEPT. 15, 2017 

(20) Bob Dole serves as Finance Chairman of the Campaign 

for the National Eisenhower Memorial, leading the private 

fundraising effort to memorialize President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Washington, DC. 

(21) Bob Dole was acknowledged by many organizations 

for his achievements both inside and outside of politics, 

including being awarded the ‘‘U.S. Senator John Heinz Award 

for Outstanding Public Service By An Elected Official’’, the 

Gold Good Citizenship Award, the American Patriot Award, 

the Survivor’s Gratitude Award, the U.S. Association of Former 

Member of Congress Distinguished Service Award, a Distinguished Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor medal, 

the Horatio Alger Award, the U.S. Defense Department’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the National Collegiate Athletic 

Association’s Teddy Roosevelt Award, the Albert Schweitzer 

Medal ‘‘for outstanding contributions to animal welfare’’, the 

2004 Sylvanus Thayer Award, and honorary degrees from the 

University of Kansas, Fort Hays State University, and the 

University of New Hampshire School of Law. 

(22) Throughout his life-long service to our country, Bob 

Dole has embodied the American spirit of leadership and determination, and serves as one of the most prolific role models 

both in and outside of politics. 

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

(a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall 

make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to Bob Dole, in recognition for his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman. 

(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the award 

referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred 

to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal with 

suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by 

the Secretary. 

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the 

gold medal struck under section 3 under such regulations as the 

Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost 

thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 

overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. 

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck under this Act are 

national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United 

States Code. 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–60—SEPT. 15, 2017 131 STAT. 1157 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1616: 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017): 

Aug. 3, considered and passed Senate. 

Sept. 5, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 5134 and 

5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under 

this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

Approved September 15, 2017. 


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