I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6795 
To award a gold medal on behalf of the United States Congress to the 
women who worked as computers, mathematicians, and engineers for 
the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics and the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration from the 1930s to the 1970s in rec-
ognition for their service to the Nation in the fields of aeronautics 
and astronautics. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself and Mr. LUCAS) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Finan-
cial 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 gold medal on behalf of the United States 
Congress to the women who worked as computers, math-
ematicians, and engineers for the National Advisory 
Committee on Aeronautics and the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration from the 1930s to the 1970s 
in recognition for their service to the Nation in the 
fields of aeronautics and astronautics. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:16 Sep 17, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6795.IH
H6795
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hidden Figures Con-
gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) NACA.—The term ‘‘NACA’’ means the Na-
tional Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. 
(2) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) In 1935, NACA (predecessor to NASA) 
hired five women to be the first ‘‘computer pool’’ at 
the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory 
where they took on calculating work previously done 
by male engineers. 
(2) During the 1940s, NACA also began re-
cruiting African-American women to work as com-
puters, initially segregating them from their White 
counterparts in a group known as the ‘‘West Area 
Computers’’ where they were restricted to segregated 
dining and bathroom facilities. 
(3) Dorothy Vaughan began working as a mem-
ber of the West Area Computing unit in 1943 where 
her work and talent for leadership led her to become 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:07 Sep 17, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6795.IH
H6795
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
both a respected mathematician and NACA’s first 
African-American manager. 
(4) Mary Jackson joined the West Area Com-
puting unit in 1951 and petitioned the city of 
Hampton to allow her to take graduate-level courses 
in math and physics at the all-White Hampton High 
School which enabled her to become the first Afri-
can-American female engineer at NASA. 
(5) Katherine Johnson, who started her career 
in the West Area Computing unit in 1953, cal-
culated the trajectory for Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 
mission in 1961, which was the first human 
spaceflight by an individual from the United States. 
(6) Dr. Christine Darden began her career as 
a computer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in 
1967 and later led the Sonic Boom Team where her 
work on sonic boom minimization helped to revolu-
tionize aeronautical design. 
(7) The stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary 
Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dr. Christine Dar-
den were portrayed in the 2016 book by Margot 
Shetterly, entitled ‘‘Hidden Figures: The Untold 
True Story of Four African-American Women Who 
Helped Launch Our Nation into Space’’ and subse-
quent movie adaptation. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:07 Sep 17, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6795.IH
H6795
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
(8) The stories of these four women exemplify 
the experiences of hundreds of women who worked 
as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at 
NACA dating back to the 1930s. 
(9) The women computers, mathematicians, 
and engineers of NACA and NASA were well re-
garded for their skill and received praise for per-
forming calculations more rapidly and accurately 
than male engineers could. 
(10) Their handmade calculations played an in-
tegral role in aircraft testing during World War II, 
supersonic flight research, sending the Voyager 
probes to explore the solar system, and the United 
States landing the first man on the lunar surface. 
SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 
the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tem-
pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 
for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of five gold 
medals of appropriate design as follows: 
(1) One gold medal to Katherine Johnson, in 
recognition of her service to the United States as a 
mathematician. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:16 Sep 17, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6795.IH
H6795
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
(2) One gold medal to Dr. Christine Darden, in 
recognition of her service to the United States as an 
aeronautical engineer. 
(3) In recognition of their service to the United 
States during the Space Race, two gold medals to 
commemorate the lives of— 
(A) Dorothy Vaughan; and 
(B) Mary Jackson. 
(4) One gold medal in recognition of all women 
who served as computers, mathematicians, and engi-
neers at NACA and NASA from the 1930s to the 
1970s. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the 
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 
of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall strike gold medals with suitable emblems, 
devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(c) TRANSFER OF CERTAIN MEDALS AFTER PRES-
ENTATION.— 
(1) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of 
the gold medals in honor of Dorothy Vaughan 
and all women computers, mathematicians, and 
engineers under subsection (a), the gold medals 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:16 Sep 17, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6795.IH
H6795
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, 
where they shall be available for display as ap-
propriate and made available for research. 
(B) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense 
of Congress that the Smithsonian Institution 
shall make the gold medals received under sub-
paragraph (A) available for— 
(i) display, particularly at the Na-
tional Museum of African American His-
tory and Culture; or 
(ii) loan, as appropriate, so that the 
medals may be displayed elsewhere. 
(2) TRANSFER
TO
FAMILY.—Following the 
award of the gold medal in honor of Mary Jackson 
under subsection (a)(3)(B), the medal shall be given 
to her family. 
SEC. 5. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
Under such regulations as the Secretary may pre-
scribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medals struck under this Act, at a price 
sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:16 Sep 17, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6795.IH
H6795
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 6. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—Medals struck pursuant to 
this Act are National medals for purposes of chapter 51 
of title 31, United States Code. 
(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 
5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals 
struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic 
items. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:16 Sep 17, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6795.IH
H6795
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS