Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act
Bill: H.R.8978 | Sponsor: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie (D-NJ)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act
This bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, also known as the "Donut Dollies," who served honorably during the Vietnam conflict. The bill also authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for presenting the medals.

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Red Cross 
  Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, also 
known as the ``Donut Dollies'', who served honorably during the Vietnam 
                               conflict.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as ``Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Vietnam War, (1954-1975), a conflict that pitted 
        the communist Government of North Vietnam and its allies in 
        South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the Government 
        of South Vietnam, involved thousands of U.S. servicemembers and 
        volunteers over its course. U.S. military advisers, present in 
        small numbers throughout the 1950s, were introduced on a large 
        scale beginning in 1961, and active combat units were 
        introduced in 1965. As early as February 1962, the number of 
        American military forces in Vietnam warranted the assignment of 
        American Red Cross field directors.
            (2) Women were not subject to the Vietnam-era draft, but 
        thousands volunteered. The first American Red Cross Field 
        Directors were sent to South Vietnam in February 1962. The last 
        Red Cross staff members to serve in-country departed in March 
        1973. Official records indicate that a total of 1,120 women 
        served with the Red Cross in Vietnam during that 11-year 
        period. Of that number, 627 were young women who were part of 
        the organization's Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas 
        (SRAO) program.
            (3) Based on Red Cross estimates, around 280,500 servicemen 
        took part in these recreation programs and the women, 
        affectionately known as ``Donut Dollies'', traveled 27,000 
        miles by jeep, truck, airplane, and helicopter every month. Red 
        Cross officials estimate that, during the seven years the 
        program was in operation, the women logged over 2,125,000 
        miles. The first SRAO unit opened at Danang in September 1965. 
        Others quickly followed at Bien Hoa, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh Air 
        Force and Army bases, Dian, Quang Tri, Phu Bai, Lai Khe, Dong 
        Tam, Qui Nhon, Xuan Loc, and more. In all, there were 28 SRAO 
        unit locations throughout the country.
            (4) Military commanders expressed high praise for the Red 
        Cross volunteers, calling the services of the organization 
        ``indispensable'' and ``prime factors'' in their efforts to 
        maintain the high morale of their men and to look after their 
        welfare. Writing to Red Cross national headquarters in 1968, 
        General William Westmoreland, then commander of the U.S. forces 
        in Southeast Asia, stated, ``Serving our men on the 
        battlefields here in Vietnam, the American Red Cross is a 
        hotline to the folks back home, an oasis in the heat of battle, 
        and a comfort during hospitalization.''.
            (5) These Red Cross volunteers shared with military 
        personnel the hardship and privation of life in a war zone and 
        were subject to the dangers of war. Many staff were injured. 
        Five American Red Cross workers died in-country. Three of those 
        were women, Hanna E. Crews, Virginia E. Kirsch, and Lucinda J. 
        Richter, all of whom were members of the SRAO program.
            (6) The Donut Dollies volunteered to be sent to the 
        frontlines to support servicemembers directly engaged with the 
        enemy during the Vietnam conflict. The extraordinary efforts of 
        these volunteers throughout the extent of America's involvement 
        in the Vietnam conflict is deserving of official recognition.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorization.--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 gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration to 
members of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas 
(SRAO) program, also known as the ``Donut Dollies'', who served 
honorably during the Vietnam conflict.
    (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 ``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 shall be available for 
        display as appropriate 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 appropriate locations associated with the 
        ``Donut Dollies''.
    (d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that the 
United States Mint should expedite production of the gold medal under 
this Act, so that the service and sacrifice of ``Donut Dollies'' 
volunteers can be recognized and honored in a timely manner.

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.

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.
                                 <all>