I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 298
To posthumously award congressional gold medals to government workers 
and others who responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center 
and the Pentagon and perished and to people aboard United Airlines 
Flight 93 who helped resist the hijackers and caused the plane to 
crash, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in com-
memoration of the Spirit of America, recognizing the tragic events of 
September 11, 2001, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 8, 2003
Mr. KING of New York (for himself and Mr. ENGEL) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To posthumously award congressional gold medals to govern-
ment workers and others who responded to the attacks 
on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and per-
ished and to people aboard United Airlines Flight 93 
who helped resist the hijackers and caused the plane 
to crash, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to 
mint coins in commemoration of the Spirit of America, 
recognizing the tragic events of September 11, 2001, 
and for other purposes.
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 ‘‘True American Heroes 
Act of 2003’’. 
TITLE I—MEDALS FOR 
RESPONDERS AND RESISTERS 
SEC. 101. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS FOR GOVERN-
MENT WORKERS WHO RESPONDED TO THE 
ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER 
AND PERISHED. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—In recognition of 
the bravery and self-sacrifice of officers, emergency work-
ers, and other employees of State and local government 
agencies, including the Port Authority of New York and 
New Jersey, and of the United States Government and 
others, who responded to the attacks on the World Trade 
Center in New York City, and perished in the tragic events 
of September 11, 2001 (including those who are missing 
and presumed dead), the Speaker of the House and the 
President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appro-
priate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the 
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design for each 
such officer, emergency worker, employee, or other indi-
vidual to the next of kin or other personal representative 
of each such officer, emergency worker, employee, or other 
individual.
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the 
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 
of the Treasury shall strike gold medals with suitable em-
blems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the 
Secretary to be emblematic of the valor and heroism of 
the men and women honored. 
(c) DETERMINATION
OF RECIPIENTS.—The Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall determine the number of med-
als to be presented under this section and the appropriate 
recipients of the medals after consulting with appropriate 
representatives of Federal, State, and local officers and 
agencies and the Port Authority of New York and New 
Jersey. 
(d) DUPLICATIVE GOLD MEDALS FOR DEPARTMENTS 
AND DUTY STATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treas-
ury shall strike duplicates in gold of the gold medals 
struck pursuant to subsection (a) for presentation to 
each of the following, for permanent display in the 
respective offices, houses, stations, or places of em-
ployment: 
(A) The Governor of the State of New 
York. 
(B) The Mayor of the City of New York.
(C) The Commissioner of the New York 
Police Department, the Commissioner of the 
New York Fire Department, the head of emer-
gency medical services for the City of New 
York, and the Chairman of the Board of Direc-
tors of the Port Authority of New York and 
New Jersey. 
(D) Each precinct house, fire house, emer-
gency response station, or other duty station or 
place of employment to which each person re-
ferred to in subsection (a) was assigned on Sep-
tember 11, 2001, for display in each such place 
in a manner befitting the memory of such per-
sons. 
(e) DUPLICATE BRONZE MEDALS.—Under such reg-
ulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary 
may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal 
struck under subsection (a) at a price sufficient to cover 
the costs of the bronze medals (including labor, materials, 
dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses) and the 
cost of the gold medal. 
(f) USE OF THE UNITED STATES MINT AT WEST 
POINT, NEW YORK.—It is the sense of the Congress that 
the medals authorized under this section should be struck
hundreds or thousands of lives and preventing the 
destruction of the White House, the Capitol, or an-
other important symbol of freedom and democracy. 
(6) The leaders of the resistance aboard United 
Airlines Flight 93 demonstrated exceptional bravery, 
valor, and patriotism, and are worthy of the appre-
ciation of the people of the United States. 
(b) PRESENTATION OF CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MED-
ALS AUTHORIZED.—In recognition of heroic service to the 
Nation, the Speaker of the House and the President pro 
tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrange-
ments for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of 
a gold medal of appropriate design for each passenger or 
crew member on board United Airlines Flight 93 who is 
identified by the Attorney General as having aided in the 
effort to resist the hijackers on board the plane to the 
next of kin or other personal representative of each such 
individual. 
(c) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the 
presentation referred to in subsection (b), the Secretary 
of the Treasury shall strike gold medals of a single design 
with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be de-
termined by the Secretary. 
(d) DUPLICATE MEDALS.—Under such regulations 
as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe, the Sec-
retary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medals struck under subsection (b) at a price sufficient 
to cover the cost of the bronze medals (including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses) 
and the cost of the gold medals. 
SEC. 103. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS FOR GOVERN-
MENT WORKERS WHO RESPONDED TO THE 
ATTACKS ON THE PENTAGON AND PERISHED. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—In recognition of 
the bravery and self-sacrifice of officers, emergency work-
ers, and other employees of the United States Govern-
ment, who responded to the attacks on the Pentagon 
Washington, D.C. and perished in the tragic events of 
September 11, 2001 (including those who are missing and 
presumed dead) the Speaker of the House and the Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate 
arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the Con-
gress, of a gold medal of appropriate design for each such 
officer, emergency worker, or employee to the next of kin 
or other personal representative of each such officer, emer-
gency worker, or employee. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the 
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 
of the Treasury shall strike gold medals of a single design
with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be de-
termined by the Secretary. 
(c) DETERMINATION
OF RECIPIENTS.—The Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall determine the number of med-
als to be presented under this section and the appropriate 
recipients of the medals after consulting with the Sec-
retary of Defense and any other appropriate representa-
tive of Federal, State, and local officers and agencies. 
SEC. 104. NATIONAL MEDALS. 
The medals struck under this title are national med-
als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code. 
TITLE II—SPIRIT OF AMERICA 
COMMEMORATIVE COINS 
SEC. 201. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) On September 11, 2001, the United States 
suffered the worst act of terrorism in its history. 
(2) The more than 6,000 people who lost their 
lives as a result of the terrorist attacks that oc-
curred in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in 
Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, will not be 
forgotten.
(3) Hundreds of emergency personnel re-
sponded heroically to the crisis and lost their lives 
as a result. 
(4) People from everywhere in the United 
States responded to the crisis with an outpouring of 
support for the victims of the terrorist attacks and 
their families. 
(5) The civilized world stands with strength and 
fortitude in opposition to the cowardly terrorist at-
tacks against the United States that occurred on 
September 11, 2001. 
(6) It is essential to remember not only the 
tragedy of the attacks, but also the strength and re-
solve demonstrated by the people of the United 
States in the aftermath of the attacks. 
(7) The minting of coins in commemoration of 
the Spirit of America will pay tribute to the count-
less heroes who risked their lives during the terrorist 
attacks and in their aftermath so that others may 
live and to a united people whose belief in freedom, 
justice, and democracy has never swayed. 
SEC. 202. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 
(a) DENOMINATIONS.—In commemoration of the 
Spirit of America, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter
in this title referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and 
issue the following coins: 
(1) $50 GOLD COINS.—Such number of 50 dol-
lar coins as the Secretary determines under sub-
section (b), which shall—
(A) weigh 1 ounce; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.287 inches; and 
(C) contain 91.67 percent gold and 8.33 
percent alloy. 
(2) $1 SILVER COINS.—Such number of 1 dollar 
coins as the Secretary determines appropriate to 
meet demand, which shall—
(A) weigh 26.73 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 per-
cent copper.
(3) HALF DOLLAR CLAD COINS.—Such number 
of half dollar coins as the Secretary determines ap-
propriate to meet demand, which shall—
(A) weigh 11.34 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and 
(C) be minted to the specifications for half 
dollar coins contained in section 5112(b) of title 
31, United States Code. 
(b) NUMBER OF GOLD COINS.—