Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act
Bill: S.2607 | Sponsor: Sen. Padilla, Alex (D-CA)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act
This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis (November 4, 1979-January 21, 1981) in recognition of their bravery and endurance throughout their captivity.

[117th Congress Public Law 320]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 4425]]

                       IRAN HOSTAGES CONGRESSIONAL


                             GOLD MEDAL ACT

[[Page 136 STAT. 4426]]

Public Law 117-320
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 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 that they lived through and the national unity 
 it produced, marking 4 decades since their 444 days in captivity, and 
   recognizing their sacrifice to the United States. <<NOTE: Dec. 27, 
                          2022 -  [S. 2607]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Iran 
Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act. 31 USC 5111 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Iran Hostages Congressional Gold 
Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    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. The 
        individuals were taken from the United States Embassy in Tehran, 
        Iran, and the ordeal 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 
        executions, beatings, solitary confinement, and inhospitable 
        living conditions.
            (3) Throughout their time held, the hostages were routinely 
        told to denounce the United States and, when they refused, they 
        were tortured, but 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, such as by 
        refusing to sign condemnations of the United States, in the face 
        of gross violations of their human rights.
            (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, as of the date of enactment of this Act, 35 of 
        the hostages are living, it is important that the people of the 
        United States reflect on the resilience and strength of the 
        hostages, which serve as an example to current generations.
            (8) The people of the United States should--

[[Page 136 STAT. 4427]]

                    (A) acknowledge the hostages as heroes who--
                          (i) experienced great tribulation; and
                          (ii) endured, so that the people of the United 
                      States may know the blessing of living in the 
                      United States; and
                    (B) strive to demonstrate the values shown by the 
                hostages.
            (9) On January 22, 1981, President Jimmy Carter met with the 
        hostages in West Germany and stated the following: ``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.''.
            (10) On January 28, 1981, when welcoming the hostages home, 
        President Ronald Reagan stated the following: ``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.''.
            (11) During the 444 days the brave hostages were held, the 
        rest of the United States held its breath, waiting for news of 
        the hostages. The United States hoped and prayed together, as 
        one, for the hostages' safe return.
            (12) Bruce Laingen, who served as United States Ambassador 
        to Iran from 1979 to 1980 and was the highest ranking diplomat 
        held hostage, summed up the experience by saying the following: 
        ``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 the responsibility of the people of the 
        United States to honor the spirit, resilience, and strength that 
        the hostages displayed during their 444 days of imprisonment.
            (13) Now, more than 4 decades later, the United States 
        continues to honor the hostages. The recipients of the award 
        bestowed by this Act are heroes in every sense of the word. They 
        are role models who wore their pride in the United States with 
        esteem and have allowed for subsequent generations to appreciate 
        the blessing of living in the United States. Today, as we mark 
        40 years since their release, the people of the United States 
        acknowledge their endurance, strength, and contributions to 
        seeing a more peaceful world. The hostages suffered for the 
        United States and now it is the duty of the United States to 
        recognize them for it.

[[Page 136 STAT. 4428]]

SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``hostage'' means a person of the United 
States who 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) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  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, in consultation with the Secretary of 
State.

    (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. BRONZE DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 4, at a price 
sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, 
use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
    (b) Proceeds of Sales.--The amounts received from the sale of 
duplicate medals under subsection (a) shall be deposited in the United 
States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.

    There is authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 
Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the 
costs of the medals struck under this Act.
SEC. 7. 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. 8. 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

[[Page 136 STAT. 4429]]

Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, 
provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on 
passage.

    Approved December 27, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2607:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
            Dec. 6, considered and passed Senate.
            Dec. 14, considered and passed House.

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