[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 973 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 973
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., in
recognition of his unique and substantial contributions across America
in lifting marginalized people, communities, and institutions that
continue to struggle for economic mobility, access to greater
opportunities, equity, and equality for all people.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 9, 2023
Ms. Williams of Georgia (for herself, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mrs.
McBath, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, and Mr. Bishop of Georgia)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., in
recognition of his unique and substantial contributions across America
in lifting marginalized people, communities, and institutions that
continue to struggle for economic mobility, access to greater
opportunities, equity, and equality for all people.
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 ``Thomas W. Dortch, Jr. Congressional Gold
Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., was born April 12, 1950, in
Toccoa, Georgia, to Lizzie Dortch and Thomas W. Dortch, Sr.,
and went on to become an influential leader and mentor as well
as a successful businessperson and crusader for equal justice.
(2) After graduating from Whitman Street High School in
1968, Dortch attended Fort Valley State University in Fort
Valley, Georgia, and graduated with a bachelor of arts in
sociology in 1972. That year, he began his formal career by
seeking to aid disenfranchised people through proposing
projects for the State of Georgia. In 1974, he became the
associate director of the Georgia Democratic Party. In 1978,
Dortch began working as an administrative aide for Senator Sam
Nunn of Georgia and eventually became State Director, the first
African American to serve in this position. Dortch worked
tirelessly to represent the interests of small businesses,
minorities, and other marginalized individuals and
institutions.
(3) In 1986, Dortch joined the 100 Black Men of America, an
international mentoring program intended to improve the quality
of life and opportunities for education and employment for
African Americans. He served as chairman of 100 Black Men of
Atlanta and became the chairman of 100 Black Men of America's
national board of directors. That same year, he earned his
master of arts in criminal justice administration from Clark
Atlanta University and married Carole Dortch.
(4) In 1994, after more than 16 years of government
service, Dortch left his position to pursue his own business
interests. He became CEO of the consulting firm TWD, Inc., and
Atlanta Transportation Systems, Inc., a Fulton County
paratransit company. He still holds both positions.
(5) Dortch has won numerous awards highlighting his
achievements, including a Presidential Citation for
volunteerism from President Barack Obama, the Martin Luther
King, Jr., Distinguished Service Award, and the Concerned Black
Clergy's Salute to Black Fathers Leadership Award. Dortch has
four children. His unique and substantial contributions across
America in lifting marginalized people, communities, and
institutions that continue to struggle for economic mobility,
access to greater opportunities, equity, and equality for all
people.
(6) Dortch is an institution builder that included founding
the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation,
Inc., cofounding the Georgia Association of Minority
Entrepreneurs (GAME) to fill a void as an advocacy organization
for minority business development, and cofounding the Greater
Atlanta Economic Alliance as a capacity building and business
development organization for the construction and
transportation industries.
(7) Dortch is the recipient of numerous awards and honors
that celebrate his efforts, a partial list includes: listed in
the 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 May editions of Ebony magazine
as one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans; listed in
Spring 2001 through 2014 Publications of Atlanta Business
Chronicle as one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans; 2008
Community Service Professional of the Year Award; 2008
FraserNet Community Service Award; and 2008 Global Leadership
Empowerment Award.
(8) Dortch's volunteer board service includes serving on
the Board of Trustees of Leadership Atlanta, Vice Chairman of
the Board, Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation, Chairman of the
Board, Friendship Force International, Chairman of the Board,
Fulton/DeKalb County Hospital Authority; 2010 was inducted into
Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau's Atlanta Hospitality
Hall of Fame; three-term Chairman of the Board, The Atlanta
Business League: Chair, Fort Valley State University Foundation
Board, Member of Operation Hope Board of Trustees, Florida
Agricultural and Mechanical University Board of Trustees,
Talladega College Board of Trustees, Clark Atlanta University
Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Board, National
Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
(9) In 2019, Dortch was inducted into the International
Civil Rights Walk of Fame. The Civil Rights Walk of Fame was
created to recognize the courageous soldiers of justice who
sacrificed and struggled to make equality a reality for all.
Dortch's footstep impression joined those of civil and human
rights icons, such as Rosa Parks, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond
Tutu, Ambassador Andrew Young, Congressman John Lewis, and
others.
(10) Dortch's philanthropic and investment advice and
counsel, particularly to corporate America, have benefitted
countless minority organizations, institutions, and communities
across America to realize and grow their programming and
impact.
(11) Dortch received honorary doctors degrees from
Fayetteville State University, Jarvis Christian College, Fort
Valley State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore,
and Livingstone College.
(12) Dortch was recently honored by Clark Atlanta
University and the National Coalition on Black Civic
Participation in 2021 with the creation of the NCBCP Thomas W.
Dortch, Jr., Institute for Leadership, Civic Engagement,
Economic Empowerment, and Social Justice.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorization.--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 the
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to Thomas W. Dortch,
Jr., in recognition of his unique and substantial contributions across
America in lifting marginalized people, communities, and institutions
that continue to struggle for economic mobility, access to greater
opportunities, equity, and equality for all people.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the
Secretary.
SEC. 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
cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
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 sections 5134 and 5136 of
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 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.
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