II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2607 

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the former hostages of the Iran 

Hostage Crisis of 1979–1981, highlighting their resilience throughout 

the unprecedented ordeal that they lived through and the national unity 

it produced, marking 4 decades since their 444 days in captivity, and 

recognizing their sacrifice to the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 4, 2021 

Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. CORNYN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. 

LUJA ́N, and Ms. WARREN) introduced the following bill; which was read 

twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 

Affairs 

A BILL 

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the former hostages 

of the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979–1981, highlighting 

their resilience throughout the unprecedented ordeal that 

they lived through and the national unity it produced, 

marking 4 decades since their 444 days in captivity, 

and recognizing their sacrifice to the United States. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iran Hostages Con5 gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) On January 20, 1981, United States dip4 lomats, military personnel, and civilians were re5 leased after being held hostage for 444 days by mili6 tant student supporters of Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah 

7 Khomeini in a violation of international law. The in8 dividuals were taken from the United States Em9 bassy in Tehran, Iran, and the ordeal came to be 

10 known as the Iran Hostage Crisis. 

11 (2) The hostages were subjected to intense 

12 physical and psychological torture throughout their 

13 captivity, such as mock executions, beatings, solitary 

14 confinement, and inhospitable living conditions. 

15 (3) Throughout their time held, the hostages 

16 were routinely told to denounce the United States 

17 and, when they refused, they were tortured, but re18 mained strong in their spirit. 

19 (4) One hostage wrote ‘‘Viva la roja, blanco, y 

20 azul’’, which translates to ‘‘Long live the red, white, 

21 and blue’’, on the wall of his cell as a reminder of 

22 the values he swore to protect. 

23 (5) The hostages showed extraordinary courage 

24 by continually engaging in acts of resistance against 

25 their captors, such as by refusing to sign condemnaVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:03 Aug 05, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2607.IS S2607

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1 tions of the United States, in the face of gross viola2 tions of their human rights. 

3 (6) Many of the hostages still experience trau4 ma as a result of the events of the crisis and deserve 

5 to have their suffering recognized. 

6 (7) While, as of the date of enactment of this 

7 Act, 35 of the hostages are living, it is important 

8 that the people of the United States reflect on the 

9 resilience and strength of the hostages, which serve 

10 as an example to current generations. 

11 (8) The people of the United States should— 

12 (A) acknowledge the hostages as heroes 

13 who— 

14 (i) experienced great tribulation; and 

15 (ii) endured, so that the people of the 

16 United States may know the blessing of 

17 living in the United States; and 

18 (B) strive to demonstrate the values shown 

19 by the hostages. 

20 (9) On January 22, 1981, President Jimmy 

21 Carter met with the hostages in West Germany and 

22 stated the following: ‘‘One of the acts in my life 

23 which has been the most moving and gratifying in 

24 meeting with and discussing the future and the past 

25 with the now liberated Americans who were held 


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1 hostage in Iran for so long. I pointed out to them 

2 that, since their capture by the Iranian terrorists 

3 and their being held in this despicable act of sav4 agery, that the American people’s hearts have gone 

5 out to them and the Nation has been united as per6 haps never before in history and that the prayers 

7 that have gone up from the people throughout the 

8 world to God for their safety have finally been an9 swered.’’. 

10 (10) On January 28, 1981, when welcoming the 

11 hostages home, President Ronald Reagan stated the 

12 following: ‘‘You’ve come home to a people who for 

13 444 days suffered the pain of your imprisonment, 

14 prayed for your safety, and most importantly, shared 

15 your determination that the spirit of free men and 

16 women is not a fit subject for barter. You’ve rep17 resented under great stress the highest traditions of 

18 public service. Your conduct is symbolic of the mil19 lions of professional diplomats, military personnel, 

20 and others who have rendered service to their coun21 try.’’. 

22 (11) During the 444 days the brave hostages 

23 were held, the rest of the United States held its 

24 breath, waiting for news of the hostages. The United 


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1 States hoped and prayed together, as one, for the 

2 hostages’ safe return. 

3 (12) Bruce Laingen, who served as United 

4 States Ambassador to Iran from 1979 to 1980 and 

5 was the highest ranking diplomat held hostage, 

6 summed up the experience by saying the following: 

7 ‘‘Fifty-three Americans who will always have a love 

8 affair with this country and who join with you in a 

9 prayer of thanksgiving for the way in which this cri10 sis has strengthened the spirit and resilience and 

11 strength that is the mark of a truly free society.’’. 

12 It is now the responsibility of the people of the 

13 United States to honor the spirit, resilience, and 

14 strength that the hostages displayed during their 

15 444 days of imprisonment. 

16 (13) Now, more than 4 decades later, the 

17 United States continues to honor the hostages. The 

18 recipients of the award bestowed by this Act are he19 roes in every sense of the word. They are role mod20 els who wore their pride in the United States with 

21 esteem and have allowed for subsequent generations 

22 to appreciate the blessing of living in the United 

23 States. Today, as we mark 40 years since their re24 lease, the people of the United States acknowledge 

25 their endurance, strength, and contributions to seeVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:03 Aug 05, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2607.IS S2607

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1 ing a more peaceful world. The hostages suffered for 

2 the United States and now it is the duty of the 

3 United States to recognize them for it. 

4 SEC. 3. DEFINITION. 

5 In this Act, the term ‘‘hostage’’ means a person of 

6 the United States who was taken captive on November 4, 

7 1979, in Tehran, Iran, at the United States embassy and 

8 released on— 

9 (1) July 11, 1980; or 

10 (2) January 20, 1981. 

11 SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

12 (a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 

13 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 

14 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 

15 award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of 

16 appropriate design to the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage 

17 Crisis, in recognition of their bravery and endurance 

18 throughout their captivity, which started on November 4, 

19 1979, and lasted until January 21, 1981. 

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

21 award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 

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

23 strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 

24 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary, in con25 sultation with the Secretary of State. 


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1 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 

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

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

4 shall be given to the National Museum of American 

5 History of the Smithsonian Institution, where it 

6 shall be available for display as appropriate and 

7 made available for research. 

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

9 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 

10 make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) 

11 available for loan, as appropriate, so that the medal 

12 may be displayed elsewhere. 

13 SEC. 5. BRONZE DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may strike and sell 

15 duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant 

16 to section 4, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, 

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

18 overhead expenses. 

19 (b) PROCEEDS OF SALES.—The amounts received 

20 from the sale of duplicate medals under subsection (a) 

21 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enter22 prise Fund. 

23 SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS. 

24 There is authorized to be charged against the United 

25 States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may 


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1 be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck 

2 under this Act. 

3 SEC. 7. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

4 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu5 ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 

6 51 of title 31, United States Code. 

7 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 

8 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 

9 under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

10 SEC. 8. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

11 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

12 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

13 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

14 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

15 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

16 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro17 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

18 vote on passage. 

Æ 


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