Charles B. Rangel Congressional Gold Medal Act

Bill: 119-s-2009
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2025-06-10
Policy area: Congress
Latest action: action_date: 2025-06-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text: CR S3317-3318)

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2009 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 10, 2025 Mr. Schumer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To award posthumously a congressional gold medal to Charles B. Rangel, an American trailblazer and public servant, in recognition of his remarkable life and career in which he elevated the voices and interests of underserved communities, bolstered the reputation of the United States on the global stage, and cofounded the Congressional Black Caucus.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Charles B. Rangel Congressional Gold Medal Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Charles Bernard Rangel, born on June 11, 1930, in Harlem, New York City, was raised largely by his mother Blanche Mary Wharton Rangel and grandfather Charles Wharton alongside his older brother Ralph, Jr., and younger sister Frances. (2) After dropping out of high school at age 16, Rangel enlisted in the United States Army and served as an artillery operations specialist in the all-Black 503rd Field Artillery Battalion in the 2nd Infantry Division from 1948 to 1952 during the Korean War. (3) During the Battle of Kunu-ri near the Yalu River on the border of China and North Korea, Rangel and his fellow soldiers were encircled by Chinese military forces and were subsequently ordered to withdraw by their command. (4) Upon receiving the withdrawal order, then-Private First Class Rangel was injured by shrapnel from a barrage of Chinese shells, which struck his back and triggered disarray amongst his comrades. (5) Despite his serious injuries, rank, and an encircled position behind enemy lines, in the middle of the night Rangel led his unit of an estimated 40 men through a mountain pass to safety. (6) For his bravery and sacrifice, Rangel was bestowed the Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart, as well as receiving overwhelming admiration, appreciation and lasting respect from his comrades. When asked to reflect on the harrowing episode, Rangel often noted that he had not had a bad day since , a phrase that he adopted as the title of his autobiography. (7) Upon his honorable discharge from the Army with the rank of Staff Sergeant, Rangel returned to Harlem, finished high school, and used his benefits under the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (commonly known as the G.I. Bill ; 58 Stat. 284, chapter 268) to obtain a Bachelor of Science from New York University where he made the Dean’s List. He subsequently received a full scholarship to attend St. John’s University School of Law, from which he graduated in 1960. (8) After a tenure in private practice, Rangel was appointed Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. After leaving the role, Rangel served as Associate Counsel to the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, a law clerk to Judge James L. Watson on the United States Court of International Trade, and as General Counsel to the National Advisory Commission on Selective Service. (9) The positions he took early in his career ensured that Rangel would always remain in close proximity to his roots in Harlem, where he met his wife Alma Carter, a social worker, in the mid-1950s, at the Savoy Ballroom. Their loving marriage stretched more than 60 years and included 2 children, Steven and Alicia, daughter-in-law Adelina, son-in-law Howard, and 3 grandsons, Howard R. Haughton, Joshua R. Haughton, and Charles R. Haughton. (10) Rangel’s early political marks can be found on matters and missions of profound significance. He participated in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March, was elected to replace his mentor Percy Sutton in the New York State Assembly, and was one of the pillars in New York’s generational political powerhouse, The Gang of Four , which included New York State Senator Basil Paterson, Manhattan Borough President and Civil Rights Leader Percy Sutton, and David Dinkins, the first black mayor of New York City. (11) Following his election to the House of Representatives in 1970, Rangel quickly rose through the ranks of the Congressional Democrats and was ultimately reelected 23 times. (12) Shortly after his induction to the House in early 1971, Rangel, along with 12 other Black Members of Congress founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was elected by his colleagues to lead the Caucus as Chairman in 1974. (13) Rangel energized the national discussion around drug trafficking, later becoming Chairman of the Select Committee on Narcotics, and was a prominent contributor to the work of the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives on the Watergate Scandal. (14) Due to his growing influence, Rangel was granted a position on the coveted Ways and Means Committee and was elevated to serve as Deputy Majority Whip under Speaker Tip O’Neill. (15) Rangel used his newfound power in Congress to secure Federal support for programs that benefitted his congressional district and other constituencies. (16) He authored and supported legislation and programs that uplifted vulnerable populations like Child Care and Development Block Grants, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Empowerment Zones, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. (17) He introduced measures to ensure that human rights and democratic principles were reflected in international business activity, including an amendment rescinding tax credits for companies doing business in apartheid South Africa. (18) To ensure that the diplomatic corps reflected the diversity of the United States, Rangel established the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship Program in partnership with Howard University, which now has more than 200 alumni serving in posts around the world. (19) Rangel was also the primary force behind the African Growth and Opportunity Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq. ), the first Act to provide incentives for United States trade with sub-Saharan Africa, which he authored and advanced despite significant political headwinds. He subsequently worked with President George W. Bush, to pass the AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004 ( 19 U.S.C. 3701 note), which synergized and expanded on his earlier efforts that instituted the trade program. (20) Rangel similarly forged a sequence of trade agreements and programs pertaining to Latin America and the Caribbean, including trade preferences for countries in the Caribbean under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2701 et seq. ), as expanded by the United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2701 note) and the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2008 ( 19 U.S.C. 2701 note), and the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement. (21) Rangel was a lifelong champion for veterans, particularly service members who historically faced discrimination both in uniform and upon returning home. As a decorated Korean War veteran himself, Rangel often leaned on his personal experience and legislative authority to spotlight the needs of underserved veterans and ensure they received the benefits, respect, and opportunities they earned through their service. Rangel spearheaded legislation to close systemic gaps in Federal veterans programs, establish the Office of Minority Veterans, expand access to services of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and strengthen the G.I. Bill, veterans housing programs, and small business opportunities. (22) As one of the few Korean War veterans serving in Congress, Rangel sponsored and secured enactment of legislation establishing National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day on July 27th in the section 127 of title 36, United States Code, to honor his fellow veterans. He also deepened United States-Korea relations through founding the Congressional Caucus on Korea, facilitating passage of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement, and passing resolutions that strengthen the bilateral strategic alliance, promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and support Korean American family reunification efforts. (23) As Dean of the New York Congressional Delegation, he led his colleagues in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to pass measures that provided funding to recovery efforts and relief to families that were impacted, such as the extension of unemployment benefits and provided health benefits to 9/11 first responders and survivors. (24) In 2007, Rangel became Chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. In that role, he was instrumental in the development and passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 ; 124 Stat. 119), which has provided coverage to an estimated 20,000,000 uninsured or underinsured people of the United States. He also ensured that United States territories like Puerto Rico were not left out of this landmark law. (25) Rangel’s exceptional life was heavily marked by his extraordinary accomplishments in the military, various government roles, and elected office, which led to economic and social advancements for his fellow servicemembers, constituents of his district, underserved communities across the country, and people around the globe. (26) During his congressional career, Rangel crafted and passed numerous measures of significance, including several that remain foundational to our military, diplomatic corps, healthcare system, international trade relationships, and tax code. 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 posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to Charles B. Rangel, in recognition of his contribution to the United States and his achievements of paving the way for equality and for people of all backgrounds, regardless of demographic or economic class. (b) Design and striking For purposes of the presentation described 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. The design shall bear an image of, and inscription of the name of, Charles B. Rangel. (c) Disposition of medal Following the presentation described in subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the children of Charles B. Rangel, Steven Rangel and Alicia Rangel. 4. Duplicate medals The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 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 sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 6. Authority to use fund amounts; proceeds of sale (a) 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. (b) Proceeds of sale Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.