RCAF/RAF-Americans Congressional Gold Medal Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``RCAF/RAF-Americans Congressional 
Gold Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Europe was at war before the end of 1939. England and 
        her British Commonwealth of Nations, which included the 
        Dominion of Canada, were warring with Nazi Germany.
            (2) Early in World War II the Royal Canadian Air Force 
        (RCAF) needed large numbers of pilots and the British 
        Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) made Canada a center for 
        aircrew training.
            (3) Approximately 8,864 Americans volunteered to join the 
        RCAF beginning as early as 1940 and continuing throughout World 
        War II. These RCAF-Americans came from every state in the 
        Union.
            (4) Many of the RCAF-Americans were urgently needed as 
        flying instructors and helped to fully staff the BCATP 
        operations.
            (5) Approximately 750 Americans (244 with the highly 
        regarded Eagle Squadrons) also served in Great Britain with the 
        RAF. The Eagle Squadrons served from February, 1941, until 
        September, 1942, and provided the British welcome relief from 
        the stress of losing large numbers of combat pilots.
            (6) President Franklin Roosevelt called the BCATP the 
        ``Aerodrome Of Democracy''. Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie 
        King, General Dwight Eisenhower, and British Prime Minister 
        Winston Churchill, all expressed their gratitude to the United 
        States men and women who took part in the British Commonwealth 
        Air Training Plan.
            (7) Approximately 3,794 Americans transferred to the U.S. 
        Army Air Force (USAAF) after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The 3 
        Eagle Squadrons (No.71/No.121/No.133), transferred into the 4th 
        Fighter Group, USAAF in September 1942.
            (8) The transfer of these courageous RCAF/RAF-Americans 
        helped prevent a shortage of experienced airmen in the 
        aftermath of America's entry into the war.
            (9) Many of these highly trained and experienced RCAF/RAF-
        Americans pilots performed crucial roles as flight instructors 
        for the USAAF.
            (10) The accumulated knowledge and skills possessed by 
        these RCAF/RAF-American airmen resulted in many becoming highly 
        accomplished USAAF combat pilots.
            (11) One of the most highly decorated military groups, the 
        American Fighter Aces, can count many of these RCAF/RAF-
        Americans among their venerable ranks.
            (12) These brave Americans left their families to join the 
        RCAF/RAF and over 800 lost their lives while serving. They 
        represent the exceptional courage that has been displayed in 
        the defense of Freedom throughout our Nation's history.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make 
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the 
Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration 
of all U.S. nationals who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force or the 
Royal Air Force during World War II, both before and after Japan's 
attack on Pearl Harbor, in recognition of their contributions to the 
Nation.
    (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 ``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 
        Smithsonian Institution, where it will be available for display 
        as appropriate and available for research.
            (2) Sense of 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. 
        nationals described under subsection (a), and that preference 
        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, 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 pursuant 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.

Summary: RCAF/RAF-Americans Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of all U.S. nationals who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force or the Royal Air Force during World War II.