I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1179 

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 which they lived through and the national 

unity it produced, marking four decades since their 444 days in captivity, 

and recognizing their sacrifice to our country. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 

Mr. SUOZZI (for himself, Mr. BACON, Mr. MOONEY, Mr. KILMER, Mr. 

CRENSHAW, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. TRONE, Mr. 

WESTERMAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, 

and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, and the 

Budget, 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 the former hostages 

of the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979–1981, highlighting 

their resilience throughout the unprecedented ordeal 

which they lived through and the national unity it produced, marking four decades since their 444 days in 

captivity, and recognizing their sacrifice to our country. 

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


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1179 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iran Hostages Con3 gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 The Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) On January 20, 1981, United States dip7 lomats, military personnel, and civilians were re8 leased after being held hostage for 444 days by mili9 tant student supporters of Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah 

10 Khomeini in a violation of international law. They 

11 were taken from the United States Embassy in 

12 Tehran, Iran, this came to be known as the Iran 

13 Hostage Crisis. 

14 (2) The hostages were subjected to intense 

15 physical and psychological torture throughout their 

16 captivity, such as mock execution, beatings, solitary 

17 confinement, and inhospitable living conditions. 

18 (3) Throughout their time held, they were rou19 tinely told to denounce the United States, when they 

20 refused, they were tortured, yet they remained 

21 strong in their spirit. 

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

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

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

25 the values he swore to protect. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1179 IH

1 (5) The hostages showed extraordinary courage 

2 by continually engaging in acts of resistance against 

3 their captors in the face of gross violations of their 

4 human rights, such as refusing to sign condemna5 tions of the United States. 

6 (6) Many of the hostages still experience trau7 ma as a result of the events of the crisis and deserve 

8 to have their suffering recognized. 

9 (7) While 35 of the hostages are still living, it 

10 is important that we reflect on their resilience and 

11 strength which serve as an example to current gen12 erations. Let us acknowledge them as heroes, who 

13 stood in positions of great tribulation but who, for 

14 us, endured so that we may know the blessing of 

15 being an American. Let us be more like them. 

16 (8) On January 22, 1981, President Jimmy 

17 Carter met with the hostages in West Germany and 

18 stated, ‘‘One of the acts in my life which has been 

19 the most moving and gratifying in meeting with and 

20 discussing the future and the past with the now lib21 erated Americans who were held hostage in Iran for 

22 so long. I pointed out to them that, since their cap23 ture by the Iranian terrorists and their being held 

24 in this despicable act of savagery, that the American 

25 people’s hearts have gone out to them and the naVerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179

khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1179 IH

1 tion has been united as perhaps never before in his2 tory and that the prayers that have gone up from 

3 the people throughout the world to God for their 

4 safety have finally been answered.’’. 

5 (9) On January 28, 1981, when welcoming the 

6 hostages home, President Ronald Reagan stated, 

7 ‘‘You‘ve come home to a people who for 444 days 

8 suffered the pain of your imprisonment, prayed for 

9 your safety, and most importantly, shared your de10 termination that the spirit of free men and women 

11 is not a fit subject for barter. You’ve represented 

12 under great stress the highest traditions of public 

13 service. Your conduct is symbolic of the millions of 

14 professional diplomats, military personnel, and oth15 ers who have rendered service to their country.’’. 

16 (10) During the 444 days the brave Americans 

17 were held, the rest of the country held its breath, 

18 waiting for news of the hostages. The country hoped 

19 and prayed together, as one, for the hostages’ safe 

20 return. 

21 (11) United States Ambassador to Iran from 

22 1979 to 1980 Bruce Laingen, the highest ranking 

23 diplomat held hostage, summed up the experience by 

24 saying ‘‘Fifty-three Americans who will always have 

25 a love affair with this country and who join with you 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 1179 IH

1 in a prayer of thanksgiving for the way in which this 

2 crisis has strengthened the spirit and resilience and 

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

4 It is now our responsibility to honor the spirit, resil5 ience, and strength that the hostages displayed dur6 ing their 444 days of imprisonment. 

7 (12) Now, more than four decades later, we 

8 continue to honor the hostages. The recipients of 

9 this award are heroes in every sense of the word. 

10 They are role models that wore their American pride 

11 with esteem and have allowed for subsequent genera12 tions to appreciate the blessing of being an Amer13 ican. Today, as we prepare to mark 40 years after 

14 their release, we acknowledge their endurance, 

15 strength, and contributions to seeing a more peace16 ful world. They suffered for America and now it is 

17 our duty to recognize them for it. 

18 SEC. 3. DEFINITION. 

19 In this Act, the term ‘‘hostage’’ means an American 

20 that was taken captive on November 4, 1979, in Tehran, 

21 Iran, at the United States embassy and released on— 

22 (1) July 11, 1980; or 

23 (2) January 20, 1981. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 1179 IH

1 SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

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

3 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 

4 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 

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

6 appropriate design to the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage 

7 Crisis, in recognition of their bravery and endurance 

8 throughout their captivity which started on November 4, 

9 1979, and lasted until January 21, 1981. 

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

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

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

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

14 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 

15 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 

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

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

18 shall be given to the National Museum of American 

19 History of the Smithsonian Institution, where it 

20 shall be available for display as appropriate and 

21 made available for research. 

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

23 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 

24 make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) 

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

26 may be displayed elsewhere. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 1179 IH

1 SEC. 5. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

2 (a) SILVER DUPLICATE MEDALS.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall strike 

4 duplicates in silver of the gold medal struck pursu5 ant to section 4 to be awarded in accordance with 

6 paragraph. 

7 (2) ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARD.— 

8 (A) IN GENERAL.—A hostage shall be eli9 gible to be awarded a silver duplicate medal 

10 struck under paragraph (1) in recognition of 

11 the endurance of the Iran Hostages. 

12 (B) DEATH OF A HOSTAGE.—In the event 

13 of the death of a hostage who has not been 

14 awarded a silver duplicate medal under this 

15 subsection, the Secretary may award a silver 

16 duplicate medal to the next of kin or other per17 sonal representative of the hostage. 

18 (b) BRONZE DUPLICATE MEDALS.—The Secretary 

19 may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal 

20 struck pursuant to section 4 under such regulations as the 

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

22 cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of ma23 chinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold 

24 and silver medals. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 1179 IH

1 SEC. 6. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

2 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu3 ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 

4 51 of title 31, United States Code. 

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

6 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 

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

8 SEC. 7. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

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

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

11 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

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

13 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

14 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro15 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

16 vote on passage. 

Æ 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS