To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres.
PL 113-114 (H.R.2939), enacted 06/09/2014

[113th Congress Public Law 114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 128 STAT. 1175]]

Public Law 113-114
113th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres. <<NOTE: June 9, 
                         2014 -  [H.R. 2939]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: 31 USC 5111 
note.>> 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Shimon Peres was born in Poland in 1923.
            (2) The Peres family emigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934, and all 
        of the family members of Shimon Peres who remained in Poland 
        were murdered during the Holocaust.
            (3) Before Israel gained independence, Shimon Peres earned 
        the respect of senior leaders in the independence movement in 
        Israel, most notably David Ben-Gurion.
            (4) The founding generation of Israel was central to the 
        development of Israel, and Shimon Peres is the only surviving 
        member of that founding generation.
            (5) Shimon Peres has served in numerous high-level cabinet 
        positions and ministerial posts in Israel, including head of the 
        Israeli Navy, Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Prime 
        Minister, and President, among many others.
            (6) Shimon Peres has honorably served Israel for over 70 
        years, during which he has significantly contributed to United 
        States interests and has played a pivotal role in forging the 
        strong and unbreakable bond between the United States and 
        Israel.
            (7) By presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon 
        Peres, the first to be awarded to a sitting President of Israel, 
        Congress proclaims its unbreakable bond with Israel and 
        reaffirms its continual support for Israel as we commemorate the 
        65th anniversary of the independence of Israel and the 90th 
        birthday of Shimon Peres, which are both significant milestones 
        in Israeli history.
            (8) Maintaining strong bilateral relations between the 
        United States and Israel has been a priority of Shimon Peres 
        since he began working with the United States in the days of 
        John F. Kennedy. The strong bond is exemplified by the 
        following:
                    (A) President Reagan said to Shimon Peres upon his 
                visit to the United States, ``Mr. Prime Minister, I 
                thank you very much for your visit. It's been an 
                occasion to renew a friendship and to review and enhance 
                the strength of our unique bilateral relationship.''.

[[Page 128 STAT. 1176]]

                    (B) At another point President Reagan said of Shimon 
                Peres, ``His vision, his statesmanship and his tenacity 
                are greatly appreciated here.''.
                    (C) While visiting with Shimon Peres at the 
                Residence of the President in Jerusalem, President Obama 
                described Shimon Peres as ``* * * a son of Israel who's 
                devoted his life to keeping Israel strong and sustaining 
                the bonds between our two nations''.
                    (D) On March 20, 2013, Shimon Peres reaffirmed his 
                belief in the relationship between the United States and 
                Israel, stating, ``America stood by our side from the 
                very beginning. You support us as we rebuild our ancient 
                homeland and as we defend our land. From Holocaust to 
                redemption.''.
                    (E) On March 21, 2013, Shimon Peres stated, ``* * * 
                America is so great and we are so small. But I learned 
                that you don't measure us by size, but by values. When 
                it comes to values, we are you and you are us * * * As I 
                look back, I feel that the Israel of today has exceeded 
                the vision we had 65 years ago. Reality has surpassed 
                our dreams. The United States of America helped us to 
                make this possible.''.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Award Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the Senate and 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make appropriate 
arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold 
medal of appropriate design in honor of President Shimon Peres.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the award referred to 
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall strike a gold 
medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined 
by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may 
prescribe, the Secretary may strike duplicate medals in bronze of the 
gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 and sell such duplicate medals 
at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.

[[Page 128 STAT. 1177]]

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

    Approved June 9, 2014.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2939:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 160 (2014):
            May 19, considered and passed House.
            May 20, considered and passed Senate.

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