I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6022 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the Buffalo Soldier 
regiments, authorized by Congress in 1866 to serve in the United States 
Armed Forces, in recognition of their superior, dedicated, and vital 
service to our Nation. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 28, 2020 
Mr. BROWN of Maryland (for himself and Mr. KIM) 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 collectively to the 
Buffalo Soldier regiments, authorized by Congress in 
1866 to serve in the United States Armed Forces, in 
recognition of their superior, dedicated, and vital service 
to our Nation. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Buffalo Soldiers Con-
gressional Gold Medal Act of 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) In 1866, Congress passed the Army Organi-
zation Act which authorized the creation of six all- 
Black cavalry and infantry regiments. These regi-
ments remained active until the Army was deseg-
regated in 1951. 
(2) According to legend, American Indians 
called the Black cavalry troops ‘‘Buffalo Soldiers’’ 
because of their dark, curly hair, which resembled a 
buffalo’s coat. 
(3) The African-American troops accepted the 
name with pride and honor, as they were aware of 
the buffalo’s fierce bravery and fighting spirit. 
(4) The original six regiments melded into the 
following four regiments: 
(A) The 9th Cavalry Regiment assembled 
in New Orleans, Louisiana in August and Sep-
tember of 1866. They were ordered to San An-
tonio, Texas in April, 1867, with the mission to 
maintain order and to secure the road from San 
Antonia to El Paso. 
(B) The 10th Cavalry Regiment gathered 
in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas during the sum-
mer of 1867. In August, 1867, they were or-
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dered to Fort Riley, Kansas with the mission of 
protecting the Pacific Railroad. 
(C) The 24th Infantry Regiment was orga-
nized in 1869, forming from the 38th and 41st 
Colored 
Infantry 
Regiments. 
They 
served 
throughout the Western United States, with the 
mission to protect frontier posts and secure 
roadways. 
(D) The 25th Infantry Regiment assem-
bled at Camp William Penn, Pennsylvania be-
ginning in January 1864. They were assigned 
to numerous districts within the Department of 
the Gulf with the mission to maintain security. 
(5) Buffalo Soldiers also assisted in the protec-
tion of National Parks. They helped fight wildfires 
and poachers in the Yosemite and Sequoia National 
Parks and served as park rangers in the Sierra Ne-
vada. 
(6) In the Spanish American War, all four regi-
ments played key roles and fought with distinction, 
despite facing severe discrimination from the locals. 
(7) At the start of World War I, the Buffalo 
Soldier regiments were dispatched to locations 
throughout central United States and into the Pa-
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cific, offering logistics and support behind the front 
lines in the American Expeditionary Forces. 
(8) During World War II, African-American 
soldiers and units continued to serve proudly under 
the name ‘‘Buffalo Soldier’’, including the 92nd In-
fantry Division, which was the only Black division 
that saw combat in Europe. 
(9) In the Korean War, Buffalo Soldier regi-
ments fought throughout the Korean peninsula, 
from the defense of the ‘‘Pusan Perimeter’’ to the 
counteroffensives which resulted in the end of armed 
hostilities and the creation of the Demilitarized 
Zone. 
(10) Buffalo Soldiers had the lowest military 
desertion and court-martial rates of their time. In 
recognition of combat valor and their actions beyond 
the call of duty, many were awarded the Congres-
sional Medal of Honor. 
(11) The Congressional Gold Medal would be 
an appropriate way to shed further light on the serv-
ice of the Buffalo Soldiers and the instrumental role 
they played in instilling an approach to inclusivity 
within our military and the American way of life. 
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SEC. 3. 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 Congress, of a single gold medal of 
appropriate design to the Buffalo Soldier regiments, au-
thorized by Congress in 1866 to serve in the United States 
Armed Forces, in recognition of their superior, dedicated, 
and vital service to our Nation. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 
award described in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 
Treasury (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 
strike a 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 under subsection (a), the gold medal 
shall be given to the National Museum of African 
American History and Culture of the Smithsonian 
Institution, where it shall be displayed as appro-
priate 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 
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locations and events associated with the Buffalo Sol-
diers. 
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, 
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 under 
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. 
SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
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vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage. 
Æ 
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