In the Senate of the United States, 

December 19, 2019. 

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 550) entitled ‘‘An Act to award a Congressional 

Gold Medal, collectively, to the United States Merchant Mariners of World War II, in recognition of their dedicated and 

vital service during World War II.’’, do pass with the following 

AMENDMENT: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 

following: 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Merchant Mariners of 

3 World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) 2019 marked the 74th anniversary of Allied 

7 victory in World War II. 

8 (2) The United States Merchant Marine (in this 

9 section referred to as the ‘‘Merchant Marine’’) was in-
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1 tegral in providing the link between domestic produc2 tion and the fighting forces overseas, providing com3 bat equipment, fuel, food, commodities, and raw ma4 terials to troops stationed abroad. 

5 (3) Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King acknowledged 

6 the indispensability of the Merchant Marine to the 

7 victory in a 1945 letter stating that, without the sup8 port of the Merchant Marine, ‘‘the Navy could not 

9 have accomplished its mission’’. 

10 (4) President, and former Supreme Commander 

11 of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, Dwight D. Eisen12 hower acknowledged that ‘‘through the prompt deliv13 ery of supplies and equipment to our armed forces 

14 overseas, and of cargoes representing economic and 

15 military aid to friendly nations, the American Mer16 chant Marine has effectively helped to strengthen the 

17 forces of freedom throughout the world’’. 

18 (5) Military missions and war planning were 

19 contingent upon the availability of resources and the 

20 Merchant Marine played a vital role in this regard, 

21 ensuring the efficient and reliable transoceanic trans22 port of military equipment and both military and ci23 vilian personnel. 

24 (6) The Merchant Marine provided for the suc25 cessful transport of resources and personnel despite 
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1 consistent and ongoing exposure to enemy combatants 

2 from both the air and the sea, including from enemy 

3 bomber squadrons, submarines, and naval mines. 

4 (7) The efforts of the Merchant Marine were not 

5 without sacrifices as the Merchant Marine likely bore 

6 a higher per-capita casualty rate than any of the 

7 military branches during the war. 

8 (8) The Merchant Marine proved to be an instru9 mental asset on an untold number of occasions, par10 ticipating in every landing operation by the United 

11 States Marine Corps, from Guadalcanal to Okinawa. 

12 (9) The Merchant Marine provided the bulk ton13 nage of material necessary for the invasion of Nor14 mandy, an invasion which, according to a 1944 New 

15 York Times article, ‘‘would not have been possible 

16 without the Merchant Marine’’. 

17 (10) In assessing the performance of the Mer18 chant Marine, General Eisenhower stated, ‘‘every man 

19 in this Allied command is quick to express his admi20 ration for the loyalty, courage, and fortitude of the of21 ficers and men of the Merchant Marine. We count 

22 upon their efficiency and their utter devotion to duty 

23 as we do our own; they have never failed us’’. 

24 (11) During a September 1944 speech, President 

25 Franklin D. Roosevelt stated that the Merchant Ma-
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1 rine had ‘‘delivered the goods when and where needed 

2 in every theater of operations and across every ocean 

3 in the biggest, the most difficult, and dangerous 

4 transportation job ever undertaken. As time goes on, 

5 there will be greater public understanding of our mer6 chant fleet’s record during this war’’. 

7 (12) The feats and accomplishments of the Mer8 chant Marine are deserving of broader public recogni9 tion. 

10 (13) The United States will be forever grateful 

11 and indebted to these merchant mariners for their ef12 fective, reliable, and courageous transport of goods 

13 and resources in enemy territory throughout theaters 

14 of every variety in World War II. 

15 (14) The goods and resources transported by the 

16 Merchant Marine saved thousands of lives and en17 abled the Allied Powers to claim victory in World 

18 War II. 

19 (15) The Congressional Gold Medal would be an 

20 appropriate way to shed further light on the service 

21 of the merchant mariners in World War II and the 

22 instrumental role they played in winning that war. 

23 (16) Many students of the Merchant Marine 

24 Academy lost their lives as they sailed through 

25 enemy-controlled waters or unloaded cargo in overseas 
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1 combat areas, and, as a result, the United States Mer2 chant Marine Academy is the only institution among 

3 the 5 Federal academies to be authorized to carry a 

4 battle standard as part of its color guard. 

5 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

6 (a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the House 

7 of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the 

8 Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the award, 

9 on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate 

10 design to the United States merchant mariners of World 

11 War II, in recognition of their dedicated and vital service 

12 during World War II. 

13 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 

14 award described in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 

15 Treasury (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 

16 strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 

17 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 

18 (c) AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE MUSEUM.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 

20 gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal shall 

21 be given to the American Merchant Marine Museum, 

22 where it will be available for display as appropriate 

23 and available for research. 

24 (2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 

25 Congress that the American Merchant Marine Mu-
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1 seum should make the gold medal given to the Mu2 seum under paragraph (1) available for display else3 where, particularly at appropriate locations associ4 ated with the United States Merchant Marine and 

5 that preference should be given to locations affiliated 

6 with the United States Merchant Marine. 

7 SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

8 Under such regulations as the Secretary may pre9 scribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

10 bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price 

11 sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, 

12 materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 

13 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

14 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—Medals struck under this Act 

15 are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, 

16 United States Code. 

17 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5134 

18 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this 

19 Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H.R. 550 

AMENDMENT