I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4063 
To grant the congressional gold medal to the members of the messman 
and steward branches of United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast 
Guard that served during World War II. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 
Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland (for herself, Mr. RANGEL, and Mr. BISHOP of 
Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House 
Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To grant the congressional gold medal to the members of 
the messman and steward branches of United States 
Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard that served dur-
ing World War II. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) During World War II, servicemembers of 
the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast 
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Guard messman and steward branches were men of 
African-American or Asian-Pacific Island descent. 
(2) The corresponding branches operated under 
racially discriminatory policies by limiting nearly all 
of its minority recruits to duty in these branches, 
providing food and valet services. 
(3) 
The 
messmen 
and 
steward 
branch 
servicemembers were targeted for disparagement as 
servants, menials, and boys. 
(4) Many volunteers of African-American and 
Asian-Pacific Islander descent entered the United 
States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard with 
extraordinary talents and training from civilian life 
and acquired considerable leadership experience and 
practical seamanship qualifications after enlisting, 
but were denied requests for transfer to other units. 
(5) 
The 
messman 
and 
steward 
branch 
servicemembers shared in all the hardships and haz-
ards of combat duty on the high seas as integral 
members of their ship’s companies, serving in prac-
tically every Navy and Coast Guard combatant ship- 
type, and in virtually every sea battle from before 
the Nation’s entry into World War II until its finish. 
(6) 
The 
messmen 
and 
steward 
branch 
servicemembers faithfully and heroically performed 
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their secondary role at their battle stations and 
made vital contributions that were all too often mis-
understood or unappreciated. 
(7) No fewer than 1,172 Navy, Marine Corps, 
and Coast Guard messman and steward branch 
servicemembers were killed in action or died of 
wounds during World War II. 
(8) 
The 
messman 
and 
steward 
branch 
servicemembers served honorably and exhibited her-
oism, sacrifice, commitment, and patriotism all while 
experiencing discrimination by their peers and supe-
riors. 
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 
of appropriate design in honor of the steward and 
messman branches of the United States Navy, Marine 
Corps, and Coast Guard that served during World War 
II, collectively, in recognition of their personal sacrifice 
and service to their country. 
(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 ‘‘Sec-
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retary’’) shall strike the 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 in honor of the steward and messman 
branches of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, 
and Coast Guard that served during World War II 
under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given 
to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be dis-
played as appropriate and made available for re-
search. 
(2) SENSE.—It is the sense of the Congress 
that the Smithsonian Institution should make the 
gold medal received under paragraph (1) available 
for display elsewhere, particularly at other appro-
priate locations associated with the steward and 
messman branches of the United States Navy, Ma-
rine Corps, and Coast Guard that served during 
World War II. 
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
Under such regulations as the Secretary may pre-
scribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 2, at a price 
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sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, 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 medals 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 
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