I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2279 
To award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to the U.S. Air Forces 
Escape and Evasion Society, in recognition of the ceaseless efforts of 
American aircrew members to escape captivity and evade capture by 
the enemy forces in occupied countries during our foreign wars, and 
the brave resistance organizations and patriotic nationals of those foreign 
countries who assisted them. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2017 
Ms. TSONGAS (for herself, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. MOULTON, and 
Mr. FARENTHOLD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Financial 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 with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to the 
U.S. Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society, in recogni-
tion of the ceaseless efforts of American aircrew members 
to escape captivity and evade capture by the enemy 
forces in occupied countries during our foreign wars, 
and the brave resistance organizations and patriotic na-
tionals of those foreign countries who assisted them. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘U.S. Air Forces Es-
cape and Evasion Society Recognition Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) During nearly all foreign wars, members of 
our Air Force have been forced to eject, crash land, 
or abandon their aircraft in an occupied country or 
territory (referred to in this Act as ‘‘downed aircrew 
members’’). 
(2) Those downed aircrew members had to 
evade capture by enemy forces, often times while 
suffering from critical injuries. 
(3) Of the downed aircrew members that were 
captured, many escaped from the enemy force that 
was holding them. 
(4) Many times, downed aircrew members were 
aided in evasion and escape by resistance organiza-
tions and patriotic nationals in those occupied coun-
tries. 
(5) Thousands of brave, ordinary people in the 
occupied countries took extraordinary risks at huge 
costs to help these aircrew members. 
(6) Each downed aircrew member’s story is dif-
ferent; however, the narrative for each member has 
one common thread: American aircrew members 
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evading capture or escaping captivity with the assist-
ance of brave people living in an occupied country. 
(7) In 1964, the U.S. Air Forces Escape and 
Evasion Society (AFEES) was created by the 
downed aircrew members who evaded capture by 
enemy forces during foreign wars with the assistance 
of resistance organizations and patriotic nationals in 
occupied countries. 
(8) AFEES includes downed aircrew members 
and people who directly aided them in escape and 
evasion, and has more than 600 members, including 
members from World War II, the Korean War, and 
the Vietnam War. 
SEC. 3. 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 the Congress, of a gold 
medal of appropriate design in commemoration to the U.S. 
Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society, in recognition of 
the ceaseless efforts of American aircrew members to es-
cape captivity and evade capture by the enemy forces in 
occupied countries during our foreign wars, and the brave 
resistance organizations and patriotic nationals of those 
foreign countries who assisted them. 
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(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 a gold medal with suitable emblems, 
devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(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 
available for research. 
(2) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense 
of the Congress that the Smithsonian Institution 
should make the gold medal awarded pursuant to 
this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly 
at appropriate locations associated with the U.S. Air 
Forces Escape and Evasion Society, and that pref-
erence should be given to locations affiliated with 
the Smithsonian Institution. 
SEC. 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, 
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materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, 
and the cost of the gold medal. 
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu-
ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 
51 of title 31, United States Code. 
(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. 
Æ 
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