I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2598 
To grant a congressional gold medal to American military personnel who 
fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon between December 7, 1941 
and May 6, 1942. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2009 
Mr. HEINRICH (for himself, Mr. SESTAK, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
RODRIGUEZ, Mr. MASSA, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. CONNOLLY of 
Virginia, Mr. REYES, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. 
TEAGUE, Ms. KOSMAS, Mr. HARE, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. HONDA, Mr. 
CONAWAY, and Mr. FRANKS of Arizona) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To grant a congressional gold medal to American military 
personnel who fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/ 
Luzon between December 7, 1941 and May 6, 1942. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:14 May 27, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2598.IH
H2598
hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
(1) On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces at-
tacked Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines Islands. 
(2) By May 6, 1942, military personnel from 
the United States and the Philippines had bravely 
and staunchly fought off enemy attacks for more 
than 5 months under strenuous conditions that re-
sulted in starvation and disease. 
(3) By maintaining their position and engaging 
the enemy for as long as they did, the soldiers at 
Bataan were able to redefine the momentum of the 
war and provide other United States and Allied 
forces throughout the Pacific with time to plan and 
prepare for subsequent crucial battles. 
(4) On April 9, 1942, then-Brigadier General 
Edward King surrendered the combined forces of 
the United States and the Philippines on the Bataan 
Peninsula into enemy hands. 
(5) Over the next week, the soldiers from the 
United States and the Philippines were taken pris-
oner and forced to march 65 miles without any food, 
water, or medical care in what came to be know as 
the Bataan Death March. 
(6) During this forced march, thousands of sol-
diers died, either from starvation, lack of medical 
care, sheer exhaustion, or abuse by their captors. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:14 May 27, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2598.IH
H2598
hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
(7) Within the first 40 days at Camp 
O’Donnell, 1,600 more prisoners from the United 
States died. 
(8) On May 6, 1942, then-Lieutenant General 
Jonathan M. Wainwright surrendered the island for-
tress of Corregidor and its fortified islands into 
enemy hands. 
(9) Over the next 10 days, prisoners from Cor-
regidor were held in the open, exposed to the ele-
ments with little or no food or water. 
(10) They were subsequently transported to the 
old Bilibid Prison in Manila and held several more 
days until they were loaded into cattle rail cars for 
transport, followed by a forced march of over 20 
miles to Cabanatuan. 
(11) The conditions at the camp were sub-
standard, leading to increased disease and malnutri-
tion among the prisoners. 
(12) On June 6, 1942, United States prisoners 
were transferred from Camp O’Donnell to Caba-
natuan. 
(13) In July 1942, all Filipino prisoners were 
paroled. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:14 May 27, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2598.IH
H2598
hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
(14) The prisoners who remained in the camps 
suffered from continued mistreatment, malnutrition, 
lack of medical care, and horrific conditions. 
(15) In 1945, all prisoners were liberated. 
(16) Over the subsequent decades, these pris-
oners formed support groups, were honored in local 
and State memorials, and told their story to all peo-
ple of the United States. 
(17) Many of these soldiers have now passed 
away, and those who remain continue to tell their 
story. 
(18) The people of the United States are for-
ever indebted to these men for— 
(A) the courage they demonstrated during 
the first 5 months of World War II in fighting 
against enemy soldiers; and 
(B) the perseverance they demonstrated 
during 3 1/2 years of capture, imprisonment, 
and atrocious conditions, while maintaining dig-
nity, honor, patriotism, and loyalty. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) AWARD
AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 
House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 
of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 
award, on behalf of the Congress, of a single gold medal 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:14 May 27, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2598.IH
H2598
hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
of appropriate design in honor of the soldiers from the 
United States who were prisoners of war at Bataan/Cor-
regidor/Luzon, collectively, in recognition of their personal 
sacrifice and service to their country. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the 
award under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 
strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 
(c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 
gold medal in honor of the prisoners of war at Ba-
taan/Corregidor/Luzon under subsection (a), the 
gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Insti-
tution, where it shall be displayed as appropriate 
and made available for research. 
(2) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense 
of the Congress that the Smithsonian Institution 
should make the gold medal received under para-
graph (1) available for display at other locations, 
particularly such locations as are associated with 
those who fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/ 
Luzon and the prisoners of war. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:14 May 27, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2598.IH
H2598
hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
(a) STRIKING OF DUPLICATES.—Under such regula-
tions as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may 
strike duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under 
section 2. 
(b) SELLING OF DUPLICATES.—The Secretary may 
sell such duplicates under subsection (a) at a price suffi-
cient to cover the costs of such duplicates, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. 
Medals struck pursuant to this Act are National med-
als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS 
OF SALE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 
Public Enterprise Fund, an amount not to exceed $30,000 
to pay for the cost of the medal authorized under section 
2. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the 
sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be 
deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
Fund. 
Æ 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:14 May 27, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2598.IH
H2598
hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS