Title: General James N. Mattis Congressional Gold Medal Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
General James N. Mattis Congressional Gold Medal Act
This bill directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to General James N. Mattis in recognition of his distinguished military career.
Following the award, the medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for display as appropriate and made available for research.
The U.S. Mint may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4867 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4867

  To award a Congressional Gold Medal to General James N. Mattis, in 
 recognition of his distinguished military career, his steadfast moral 
character and patriotism, and his unyielding devotion to the protection 
                            of this Nation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 28, 2019

   Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Larsen of 
   Washington, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Ms. Herrera Beutler, Ms. 
DelBene, Mr. Heck, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Jayapal, and Ms. Schrier) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial 
Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To award a Congressional Gold Medal to General James N. Mattis, in 
 recognition of his distinguished military career, his steadfast moral 
character and patriotism, and his unyielding devotion to the protection 
                            of this 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 ``General James N. Mattis 
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) James N. Mattis was born in Pullman, Washington, on 
        September 8, 1950.
            (2) James N. Mattis graduated from Columbia High School in 
        1968 and began his military career the following year, 
        enlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
            (3) In 1971, James N. Mattis earned a Bachelor of Arts in 
        history from Central Washington State College. He earned a 
        Master of Arts in international security affairs from National 
        Defense University's National War College in 1994.
            (4) On January 1, 1972, James N. Mattis was commissioned as 
        a second lieutenant through the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders 
        Course. As a lieutenant, he commanded infantry platoons and, as 
        a captain, commanded both rifle and weapons companies in the 
        1st Marine Brigade in Hawaii. Promoted to major, he served as 
        battalion officer at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in 
        Newport, Rhode Island, and commanded Recruiting Station 
        Portland, Oregon.
            (5) During the Gulf War, James N. Mattis served as 
        lieutenant colonel and commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th 
        Marines. Promoted to colonel, he commanded the 7th Marine 
        Regiment at Twentynine Palms, California, and served as the 
        Executive Secretary to the Department of Defense for 
        Secretaries William Perry and Bill Cohen.
            (6) Following the September 11, 2001, attacks on America, 
        then-Brigadier General James N. Mattis led Task Force 58 
        through a series of operations in southern Afghanistan, making 
        him the first United States Marine Corps officer to command a 
        Naval Task Force.
            (7) James N. Mattis, as major general, commanded the 1st 
        Marine Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He continued 
        in this role until 2004, when he was promoted to lieutenant 
        general and assumed command of the Marine Corps Combat 
        Development Command. The Pentagon announced on May 31, 2006, 
        that he was chosen to take command of the I Marine 
        Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp 
        Pendleton, and all Marines assigned to the United States 
        Central Command.
            (8) James N. Mattis relinquished command of the I Marine 
        Expeditionary Force on November 5, 2007. Four days later, on 
        November 9, 2007, he was promoted to four-star general to 
        command United States Joint Forces Command (JFCOM), 
        concurrently serving as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander 
        Transformation (SACT). He transferred his role as SACT on 
        September 9, 2009, while continuing to command JFCOM.
            (9) After a recommendation from Defense Secretary Robert 
        Gates, James N. Mattis was formally nominated as commander of 
        United States Central Command by President Barack Obama, 
        effective July 21, 2010.
            (10) United States Central Command announced the 
        resignation of James N. Mattis on April 27, 2012, and his 
        retirement from the United States Marine Corps was finalized on 
        June 1, 2013.
            (11) On December 1, 2016, President Donald Trump announced 
        that he would nominate James N. Mattis for United States 
        Secretary of Defense. He was confirmed by the United States 
        Senate on January 20, 2017, and served until December 31, 2018.
            (12) James N. Mattis, prior to and since his retirement 
        from the United States Marine Corps, has been awarded many 
        awards and commendations, including--
                    (A) the Center for National Policy ``Edmund S. 
                Muskie Distinguished Public Service Award'' (2009);
                    (B) the Atlantic Council ``Distinguished Military 
                Leadership Award'' (2010);
                    (C) the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton 
                Roads ``Ryan C. Crocker Global Citizen of the Year'' 
                Award (2013);
                    (D) the Marine Corps University Foundation ``Semper 
                Fidelis Award'' (2014);
                    (E) the Washington Policy Center ``Champion of 
                Freedom Award'' (2016);
                    (F) the ``Dwight D. Eisenhower Distinguished 
                Service Award'' (2019);
                    (G) the OSS Society ``William J. Donovan Award'' 
                (2019); and
                    (H) the Washington Policy Center ``Columbia Award'' 
                (2019).
            (13) James N. Mattis is a native of Washington State and 
        devoted resident of the Pacific Northwest. He exemplifies a 
        deep love and commitment for his hometown of Richland, 
        Washington, and the greater Tri-Cities through his enthusiastic 
        involvement in the community and long-time volunteer service 
        with the Tri-Cities Food Bank.
            (14) James N. Mattis is the published author of ``Call Sign 
        Chaos: Learning to Lead''.
            (15) James N. Mattis demonstrates the American principles 
        of hard work, patriotism, and integrity. His distinguished 
        military and civilian service and his devotion to defending and 
        upholding the Constitution are an inspiration to all Americans.

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 General James N. Mattis, in 
recognition of his distinguished military career, his steadfast moral 
character and patriotism, and his unyielding devotion to the protection 
of this Nation.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the 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 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 shall make the gold medal received 
        under paragraph (1) available for--
                    (A) display, particularly at the National Portrait 
                Gallery; and
                    (B) loan, as appropriate, so that the medal may be 
                displayed elsewhere.

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.
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