Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, also known as the Donut Dollies 1. Short title This Act may be cited as Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act 2. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) The Vietnam War, (1954–1975), a conflict that pitted the communist Government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the Government of South Vietnam, involved thousands of U.S. servicemembers and volunteers over its course. U.S. military advisers, present in small numbers throughout the 1950s, were introduced on a large scale beginning in 1961, and active combat units were introduced in 1965. As early as February 1962, the number of American military forces in Vietnam warranted the assignment of American Red Cross field directors. (2) Women were not subject to the Vietnam-era draft, but thousands volunteered. The first American Red Cross Field Directors were sent to South Vietnam in February 1962. The last Red Cross staff members to serve in-country departed in March 1973. Official records indicate that a total of 1,120 women served with the Red Cross in Vietnam during that 11-year period. Of that number, 627 were young women who were part of the organization’s Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program. (3) Based on Red Cross estimates, around 280,500 servicemen took part in these recreation programs and the women, affectionately known as Donut Dollies (4) Military commanders expressed high praise for the Red Cross volunteers, calling the services of the organization indispensable prime factors Serving our men on the battlefields here in Vietnam, the American Red Cross is a hotline to the folks back home, an oasis in the heat of battle, and a comfort during hospitalization. (5) These Red Cross volunteers shared with military personnel the hardship and privation of life in a war zone and were subject to the dangers of war. Many staff were injured. Five American Red Cross workers died in-country. Three of those were women, Hanna E. Crews, Virginia E. Kirsch, and Lucinda J. Richter, all of whom were members of the SRAO program. (6) The Donut Dollies volunteered to be sent to the frontlines to support servicemembers directly engaged with the enemy during the Vietnam conflict. The extraordinary efforts of these volunteers throughout the extent of America’s involvement in the Vietnam conflict is deserving of official recognition. 3. Congressional gold medal (a) Presentation authorization The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration to members of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, also known as the Donut Dollies (b) Design and striking For the purposes of the award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the Secretary (c) Smithsonian Institution (1) In general Following the award of the gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for display as appropriate and made available for research. (2) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate locations associated with the Donut Dollies (d) Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Mint should expedite production of the gold medal under this Act, so that the service and sacrifice of Donut Dollies 4. Duplicate medals The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to 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. 5. Status of medals (a) National medals The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 (b) Numismatic items For purposes of section 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

Summary: Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, also known as the "Donut Dollies," who served honorably during the Vietnam conflict. The bill also authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for presenting the medals.