I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7501 

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Chad Robichaux, Sarah Verardo, 

Tim Kennedy, Kevin Rourke, Sean Gabler, Dave Johnson, and Dennis 

Price, in recognition of their exceptional efforts and selfless dedication 

during the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021, which led to the safe evacuation of over 17,000 people from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 29, 2024 

Mr. NORMAN (for himself, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. 

GIMENEZ, Mrs. SPARTZ, and Mr. MOONEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Chad Robichaux, 

Sarah Verardo, Tim Kennedy, Kevin Rourke, Sean 

Gabler, Dave Johnson, and Dennis Price, in recognition 

of their exceptional efforts and selfless dedication during 

the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021, which led to the 

safe evacuation of over 17,000 people from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 7501 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Save our Allies Con3 gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) The events of August 2021 marked a sig7 nificant turning point in the history of the United 

8 States engagement in Afghanistan, as the Nation 

9 underwent a process of withdrawal after over two 

10 decades of military presence. 

11 (2) Over the course of those 20 years, countless 

12 men and women in uniform made tremendous sac13 rifices to uphold the principles of democracy and 

14 freedom, while also honoring the promises made to 

15 the Afghan people to build a safer and more pros16 perous Nation. 

17 (3) Among these exceptional individuals were 

18 the 13 individuals who participated in the Afghani19 stan evacuation in 2021, serving as a beacon of hope 

20 and demonstrating unwavering dedication to the 

21 ideals of America. 

22 (4) When the final withdrawal was announced, 

23 Chad Robichaux knew he needed to act. His combat 

24 interpreter, Aziz, who had saved his life on countless 

25 occasions throughout his eight deployments to Af26 ghanistan as part of a Joint Special Operations 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 7501 IH

1 Task Force, was now being hunted and targeted by 

2 the Taliban for helping him. Determined to save his 

3 loyal friend, Chad embarked on a mission that would 

4 bring together 13 modern-day avengers, all Special 

5 Operations veterans, and one determined woman, to 

6 drop everything and rescue Aziz and his family from 

7 Afghanistan. Without hesitation, each member of the 

8 team agreed to join the daring mission. 

9 (5) In a matter of hours, Chad Robichaux as10 sembled his team and made a crucial call to Sarah 

11 Verardo, the wife of a catastrophically wounded Sol12 dier from his service in Afghanistan, who miracu13 lously secured their way to Hamid Karzai Inter14 national Airport (HKIA) in Kabul, Afghanistan. The 

15 12-man team quickly mobilized, with Chad heading 

16 to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to establish a humanitarian 

17 center for evacuees. Meanwhile, Tim Kennedy, Kevin 

18 Roarke, Sean Gabler, and Dave Johnson headed for 

19 HKIA itself. Setting up a command center at 

20 HKIA, the team conducted non-stop rescue oper21 ations amidst Taliban-controlled territory, facing im22 mense danger without a Quick Reaction Force 

23 (QRF). In just 10 days, their unwavering efforts led 

24 to the successful rescue of over 12,000 lives. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HR 7501 IH

1 (6) Even in the face of tremendous adversity, 

2 the team’s dedication did not waver. Despite Abbey 

3 Gate being destroyed and the gates welded shut, 

4 they refused to leave. Over the next two months, 

5 they continued their humanitarian efforts remotely, 

6 leading a coalition to rescue an additional 5,000 in7 dividuals through alternate routes around the region. 

8 Their commitment and determination made a sig9 nificant difference during this critical time of need. 

10 (7) Chad Robichaux’s mission did not end with 

11 the evacuation from HKIA. Teaming up with Fellow 

12 Force Recon Marine and Scout Sniper, Staff Ser13 geant Dennis Price, he embarked on a grueling 10- 

14 day, 90-mile reconnaissance mission along the 

15 Tajikistan and Afghanistan border, swimming into 

16 Afghanistan every night past Taliban and Chinese 

17 soldiers in order to use their special operations expe18 rience to build evacuation routes for women and 

19 children still trapped in Afghanistan as Afghan 

20 Commandos attempted to move them to the 

21 Tajikistan border. Braving the treacherous terrain 

22 and encounters with foreign militaries, including 

23 Chinese, Russian, Tajikistan, and Taliban fighters, 

24 they successfully established routes that are still in 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•HR 7501 IH

1 use today, ensuring more people could find their way 

2 to safety. 

3 (8) The valor and courage displayed by Chad 

4 Robichaux, Sarah Verardo, and the 12 Special Oper5 ations veterans during the Afghanistan evacuation in 

6 2021 exemplify the very essence of America’s prom7 ises to the Afghan people throughout the 20 years 

8 of war. Their actions served as a powerful testament 

9 to the unwavering loyalty and dedication of the 

10 United States Armed Forces, reinforcing our na11 tion’s role as a beacon of hope and justice on the 

12 global stage. Their commitment to duty and human13 ity will forever be etched in the Congressional record 

14 as a shining example of American heroism. 

15 (9) Under the exceptional leadership of Force 

16 Recon Marine Chad Robichaux, this remarkable 

17 team of Special Operation veterans took up the 

18 charge to protect and evacuate over 17,000 citizens 

19 and Afghan allies from Taliban-controlled Afghani20 stan, during a time of unfathomable danger and un21 certainty. 

22 (10) These individuals have dedicated their lives 

23 to protecting our country, putting their own lives on 

24 the line to safeguard others, and their heroism de25 serves great honor. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
6 

•HR 7501 IH

1 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS. 

2 (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 

3 the House of Representatives and the President pro tem4 pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 

5 for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a single 

6 gold medal of appropriate design to Chad Robichaux, 

7 Sarah Verardo, Tim Kennedy, Kevin Rourke, Sean 

8 Gabler, Dave Johnson, and Dennis Price, in recognition 

9 of their exceptional efforts and selfless dedication during 

10 the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021, which led to the safe 

11 evacuation of over 17,000 people from Taliban-controlled 

12 Afghanistan. 

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

14 presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 

15 of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec16 retary’’) shall strike the gold medals with suitable em17 blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 

18 Secretary. 

19 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 

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

21 gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal 

22 shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where 

23 it shall be available for display as appropriate and 

24 made available for research. 

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

26 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
7 

•HR 7501 IH

1 make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) 

2 available for display outside of the District of Co3 lumbia at times, particularly at other locations asso4 ciated with the team of Special Operation Veterans’ 

5 service in the Afghanistan evacuation of 2021. 

6 SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

7 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

8 bronze of the gold medals struck under section 3, at a 

9 price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 

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

11 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

12 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—Medals struck pursuant to 

13 this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 

14 of title 31, United States Code. 

15 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 

16 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals 

17 struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic 

18 items. 

19 SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF 

20 SALE. 

21 (a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is 

22 authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 

23 Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be nec24 essary to pay for the costs of the medals struck pursuant 

25 to this Act. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
8 

•HR 7501 IH

1 (b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—The amounts received 

2 from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under 

3 section 3 shall be deposited into the United States Mint 

4 Public Enterprise Fund. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB