Everett Alvarez, Jr., Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.9593 | Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Everett Alvarez, Jr., Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2022
This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, Jr. in recognition of his service to the nation.

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, Jr., in 
               recognition of his service to the Nation.

    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 ``Everett Alvarez, Jr., Congressional 
Gold Medal Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Commander (CDR) Everett Alvarez, Jr., served with 
        distinction in the Vietnam war and made historic sacrifices for 
        the United States as the first United States pilot to be shot 
        down and captured during the Vietnam war and the second-longest 
        prisoner of war in United States history, surviving over eight-
        and-a-half years in captivity.
            (2) CDR Alvarez was born in Salinas, California, in 1937, 
        and was the grandchild of Mexican immigrants.
            (3) CDR Alvarez attended Salinas Union High School and 
        Hartnell College and received a bachelor of science degree from 
        Santa Clara University.
            (4) In 1960, CDR Alvarez joined the United States Navy and 
        was commissioned as Ensign.
            (5) After receiving his commission, CDR Alvarez attended 
        flight training at the Naval Air Basic Training Command in 
        Pensacola, Florida.
            (6) In June 1961, CDR Alvarez was transferred to the Naval 
        Auxiliary Air Station in Kingsville, Texas, where he trained 
        until December 1961.
            (7) CDR Alvarez was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) 
        in April 1962.
            (8) In June 1962, CDR Alvarez joined Attack Squadron 144, 
        nicknamed the ``Roadrunners'', which was deployed to the Gulf 
        of Tonkin prior to the United States entrance in the Vietnam 
        war in August 1964.
            (9) On August 5, 1964, while flying Operation Pierce Arrow 
        from the USS Constellation near the Vietnam-China border, CDR 
        Alvarez's A-4 Skyhawk was shot down and he was captured by a 
        Vietnamese fishing vessel.
            (10) Upon capture, CDR Alvarez was taken to the Hoa Lo 
        Prison in Hanoi, known to many former prisoners as the ``Hanoi 
        Hilton''.
            (11) CDR Alvarez spent his first thirteen months, eight 
        days, and five hours in isolation.
            (12) While at Hoa Lo, CDR Alvarez was repeatedly beaten and 
        tortured and was fed inedible meals and suffered 
        malnourishment.
            (13) In September 1965, CDR Alvarez was moved to the 
        ``Briarpatch'', a prison camp west of Hanoi, with no 
        electricity or running water.
            (14) Despite torture and interrogation, CDR Alvarez 
        remained loyal to the United States and assisted other American 
        prisoners of war.
            (15) CDR Alvarez, with his own actions, encouraged and 
        inspired fellow prisoners of war to ``Return with Honor'', 
        which meant keeping their integrity in the face of torture and 
        not cooperating with or divulging information to the enemy, so 
        they could return home having remained loyal to the United 
        States.
            (16) While at ``the Zoo'', an overflow prison camp on the 
        outskirts of Hanoi, CDR Alvarez taught the mute hand code 
        communication technique to other captives and used the code to 
        keep up spirits and stay organized.
            (17) On July 6, 1966, CDR Alvarez and 51 other American 
        prisoners of war were forced to march in the ``Hanoi Parade'' 
        where he was abused and attacked by mobs.
            (18) CDR Alvarez was released February 12, 1973, after 
        spending 3,113 days in captivity, or eight years and six 
        months.
            (19) Following his release and hospitalization, CDR Alvarez 
        resumed his Naval service, returning to Naval Air Station 
        Kingsville for refresher flight training.
            (20) CDR Alvarez attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate 
        School in Monterey, California and received a master's degree 
        in Operations Research and Systems Analysis in 1976.
            (21) CDR Alvarez was inducted into the U.S. Naval 
        Postgraduate School's Alumni Hall of Fame on March 27, 2015.
            (22) CDR Alvarez served in Program Management at the Naval 
        Air Systems command in Washington, DC, from October 1976 until 
        his retirement.
            (23) CDR Alvarez retired from the Navy on June 30, 1980, 
        completing a 20-year Naval career.
            (24) In 1983, CDR Alvarez earned his juris doctor from the 
        George Washington School of Law and has been admitted to the 
        District of Columbia bar.
            (25) In April 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed CDR 
        Alvarez as Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, where he served 
        until 1982.
            (26) In July 1982, President Reagan nominated CDR Alvarez 
        to be Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration, now 
        known as the Department of Veterans Affairs, serving until 
        1986.
            (27) In February 1987, President Reagan appointed CDR 
        Alvarez to Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services 
        University of the Health Sciences, where he served for nearly 
        21 years.
            (28) For his service, CDR Alvarez was awarded the Silver 
        Star Medal, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying 
        Cross, two Bronze Star Medals, two Purple Hearts, and the 
        Prisoner of War Medal.
            (29) On September 18, 2012, the United States Navy Memorial 
        awarded CDR Alvarez the ``Lone Sailor Award''.
            (30) The people of the United States honor the sacrifices 
        of CDR Alvarez and his service to our Nation.

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 Congress, 
of a gold medal of appropriate design to Everett Alvarez, Jr., in 
recognition of his service 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.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the 
Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal 
struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the 
medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses.

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--Medals struck under 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.
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