[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 133 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 133
To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the United States
merchant mariners of World War II, in recognition of their dedicated
and vital service during World War II.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 15, 2019
Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. King, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Cantwell, and
Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the United States
merchant mariners of World War II, in recognition of their dedicated
and vital service during World War II.
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 ``Merchant Mariners of World War II
Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory
in World War II and the restoration of peacetime across the
European and Pacific theaters.
(2) The United States Merchant Marine (in this section
referred to as the ``Merchant Marine'') was integral in
providing the link between domestic production and the fighting
forces overseas, providing combat equipment, fuel, food,
commodities, and raw materials to troops stationed abroad.
(3) Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King acknowledged the
indispensability of the Merchant Marine to the victory in a
1945 letter stating that, without the support of the Merchant
Marine, ``the Navy could not have accomplished its mission''.
(4) President, and former Supreme Commander of the Allied
Forces, Dwight D. Eisenhower acknowledged that ``through the
prompt delivery of supplies and equipment to our armed forces
overseas, and of cargoes representing economic and military aid
to friendly nations, the American Merchant Marine has
effectively helped to strengthen the forces of freedom
throughout the world''.
(5) Military missions and war planning were contingent upon
the availability of resources and the Merchant Marine played a
vital role in this regard, ensuring the efficient and reliable
transoceanic transport of military equipment and both military
and civilian personnel.
(6) The Merchant Marine provided for the successful
transport of resources and personnel despite consistent and
ongoing exposure to enemy combatants from both the air and the
sea, including from enemy bomber squadrons, submarines, and
mines.
(7) The efforts of the Merchant Marine were not without
sacrifices as the Merchant Marine bore a higher per-capita
casualty rate than any other branch of the military during the
war.
(8) The Merchant Marine proved to be an instrumental asset
on an untold number of occasions, participating in every
landing operation by the United States Marine Corps, from
Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima.
(9) The Merchant Marine provided the bulk tonnage of
material necessary for the invasion of Normandy, an invasion
which, according to a 1944 New York Times article, ``would not
have been possible without the Merchant Marine''.
(10) In assessing the performance of the Merchant Marine,
General Eisenhower stated, ``every man in this Allied command
is quick to express his admiration for the loyalty, courage,
and fortitude of the officers and men of the Merchant Marine.
We count upon their efficiency and their utter devotion to duty
as we do our own; they have never failed us''.
(11) During a September 1944 speech, President Franklin D.
Roosevelt stated that the Merchant Marine had ``delivered the
goods when and where needed in every theater of operations and
across every ocean in the biggest, the most difficult, and
dangerous transportation job ever undertaken. As time goes on,
there will be greater public understanding of our merchant
fleet's record during this war.''.
(12) The feats and accomplishments of the Merchant Marine
are deserving of broader public recognition.
(13) The United States will be forever grateful and
indebted to these merchant mariners for their effective,
reliable, and courageous transport of goods and resources in
enemy territory throughout theaters of every variety in World
War II.
(14) The goods and resources transported by the Merchant
Marine saved thousands of lives and enabled the Allied Powers
to claim victory in World War II.
(15) The Congressional Gold Medal would be an appropriate
way to shed further light on the service of the merchant
mariners in World War II and the instrumental role they played
in winning that war.
SEC. 3. 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 United States merchant mariners of
World War II, in recognition of their dedicated and vital service
during World War II.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award described
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (in this Act referred
to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike the gold medal with suitable
emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
(c) American Merchant Marine Museum.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal
under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the
American Merchant Marine Museum, where it will be available for
display as appropriate and available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the American Merchant Marine Museum should make the gold medal
given to the Museum under paragraph (1) available for display
elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations associated
with the United States Merchant Marine and that preference
should be given to locations affiliated with the United States
Merchant Marine.
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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