Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act
Bill: H.R.1179 | Sponsor: Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. (D-NY)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act
This bill requires 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 commemorating the bravery and endurance of the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis.
Following its award, the medal shall be given to the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution for display and research.

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the former hostages of the Iran 
 Hostage Crisis of 1979-1981, highlighting their resilience throughout 
  the unprecedented ordeal which they lived through and the national 
    unity it produced, marking four decades since their 444 days in 
       captivity, and recognizing their sacrifice to our country.

    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 the ``Iran Hostages Congressional Gold 
Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) On January 20, 1981, United States diplomats, military 
        personnel, and civilians were released after being held hostage 
        for 444 days by militant student supporters of Iran's Ayatollah 
        Ruhollah Khomeini in a violation of international law. They 
        were taken from the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran, this 
        came to be known as the Iran Hostage Crisis.
            (2) The hostages were subjected to intense physical and 
        psychological torture throughout their captivity, such as mock 
        execution, beatings, solitary confinement, and inhospitable 
        living conditions.
            (3) Throughout their time held, they were routinely told to 
        denounce the United States, when they refused, they were 
        tortured, yet they remained strong in their spirit.
            (4) One hostage wrote ``Viva la roja, blanco, y azul'' 
        which translates to ``Long live the red, white, and blue'' on 
        the wall of his cell as a reminder of the values he swore to 
        protect.
            (5) The hostages showed extraordinary courage by 
        continually engaging in acts of resistance against their 
        captors in the face of gross violations of their human rights, 
        such as refusing to sign condemnations of the United States.
            (6) Many of the hostages still experience trauma as a 
        result of the events of the crisis and deserve to have their 
        suffering recognized.
            (7) While 35 of the hostages are still living, it is 
        important that we reflect on their resilience and strength 
        which serve as an example to current generations. Let us 
        acknowledge them as heroes, who stood in positions of great 
        tribulation but who, for us, endured so that we may know the 
        blessing of being an American. Let us be more like them.
            (8) On January 22, 1981, President Jimmy Carter met with 
        the hostages in West Germany and stated, ``One of the acts in 
        my life which has been the most moving and gratifying in 
        meeting with and discussing the future and the past with the 
        now liberated Americans who were held hostage in Iran for so 
        long. I pointed out to them that, since their capture by the 
        Iranian terrorists and their being held in this despicable act 
        of savagery, that the American people's hearts have gone out to 
        them and the nation has been united as perhaps never before in 
        history and that the prayers that have gone up from the people 
        throughout the world to God for their safety have finally been 
        answered.''.
            (9) On January 28, 1981, when welcoming the hostages home, 
        President Ronald Reagan stated, ``You`ve come home to a people 
        who for 444 days suffered the pain of your imprisonment, prayed 
        for your safety, and most importantly, shared your 
        determination that the spirit of free men and women is not a 
        fit subject for barter. You've represented under great stress 
        the highest traditions of public service. Your conduct is 
        symbolic of the millions of professional diplomats, military 
        personnel, and others who have rendered service to their 
        country.''.
            (10) During the 444 days the brave Americans were held, the 
        rest of the country held its breath, waiting for news of the 
        hostages. The country hoped and prayed together, as one, for 
        the hostages' safe return.
            (11) United States Ambassador to Iran from 1979 to 1980 
        Bruce Laingen, the highest ranking diplomat held hostage, 
        summed up the experience by saying ``Fifty-three Americans who 
        will always have a love affair with this country and who join 
        with you in a prayer of thanksgiving for the way in which this 
        crisis has strengthened the spirit and resilience and strength 
        that is the mark of a truly free society.''. It is now our 
        responsibility to honor the spirit, resilience, and strength 
        that the hostages displayed during their 444 days of 
        imprisonment.
            (12) Now, more than four decades later, we continue to 
        honor the hostages. The recipients of this award are heroes in 
        every sense of the word. They are role models that wore their 
        American pride with esteem and have allowed for subsequent 
        generations to appreciate the blessing of being an American. 
        Today, as we prepare to mark 40 years after their release, we 
        acknowledge their endurance, strength, and contributions to 
        seeing a more peaceful world. They suffered for America and now 
        it is our duty to recognize them for it.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``hostage'' means an American that was taken 
captive on November 4, 1979, in Tehran, Iran, at the United States 
embassy and released on--
            (1) July 11, 1980; or
            (2) January 20, 1981.

SEC. 4. 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 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage 
Crisis, in recognition of their bravery and endurance throughout their 
captivity which started on November 4, 1979, and lasted until January 
21, 1981.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award 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 
        National Museum of American History of 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 loan, as appropriate, so that 
        the medal may be displayed elsewhere.

SEC. 5. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    (a) Silver Duplicate Medals.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall strike duplicates in 
        silver of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 4 to be 
        awarded in accordance with paragraph.
            (2) Eligibility for award.--
                    (A) In general.--A hostage shall be eligible to be 
                awarded a silver duplicate medal struck under paragraph 
                (1) in recognition of the endurance of the Iran 
                Hostages.
                    (B) Death of a hostage.--In the event of the death 
                of a hostage who has not been awarded a silver 
                duplicate medal under this subsection, the Secretary 
                may award a silver duplicate medal to the next of kin 
                or other personal representative of the hostage.
    (b) Bronze Duplicate Medals.--The Secretary may strike and sell 
duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 4 
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 and 
silver medals.

SEC. 6. 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.

SEC. 7. 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, provided that 
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
                                 <all>