[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 94 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 94
To award 3 Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 United
States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, in recognition of their
extraordinary achievement at the XIII Olympic Winter Games where, being
comprised of amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant
Soviet ice hockey team in the historic ``Miracle on Ice'', revitalizing
morale in the United States at the height of the Cold War, inspiring
generations, and transforming the sport of ice hockey in the United
States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 15, 2025
Mr. Cramer (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Hickenlooper,
Mr. Curtis, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Rounds, and
Ms. Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award 3 Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 United
States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, in recognition of their
extraordinary achievement at the XIII Olympic Winter Games where, being
comprised of amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant
Soviet ice hockey team in the historic ``Miracle on Ice'', revitalizing
morale in the United States at the height of the Cold War, inspiring
generations, and transforming the sport of ice hockey in the United
States.
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 ``Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold
Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team
competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII
Olympic Winter Games and known as the 1980 Lake Placid games,
from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York.
(2) Team USA, comprised of collegiate players, defeated the
defending Olympic champion the Soviet Union 4-3 on February 22,
1980, in the final round of the 1980 Winter Olympics men's ice
hockey tournament.
(3) The 1980 United States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team
roster included--
(A) Bill Baker (Grand Rapids, Minnesota);
(B) Neal Broten (Roseau, Minnesota);
(C) Dave Christian (Warroad, Minnesota);
(D) Steve Christoff (Richfield, Minnesota);
(E) Jim Craig (North Easton, Massachusetts);
(F) Mike Eruzione (Winthrop, Massachusetts);
(G) John Harrington (Virginia, Minnesota);
(H) Steve Janaszak (Saint Paul, Minnesota);
(I) Mark Johnson (Madison, Wisconsin);
(J) Rob McClanahan (Saint Paul, Minnesota);
(K) Ken Morrow (Flint, Michigan);
(L) Jack O'Callahan (Charlestown, Massachusetts);
(M) Mark Pavelich (Eveleth, Minnesota);
(N) Mike Ramsey (Minneapolis, Minnesota);
(O) Buzz Schneider (Grand Rapids, Minnesota);
(P) Dave Silk (Scituate, Massachusetts);
(Q) Eric Strobel (Rochester, Minnesota);
(R) Bob Suter (Madison, Wisconsin);
(S) Mark Wells (St. Clair Shores, Michigan); and
(T) Phil Verchota (Duluth, Minnesota).
(4) The ``Miracle on Ice'' United States and Soviet Union
final round game aired on tape delay on Feb 22, 1980, from Lake
Placid and drew 34,200,000 average viewers. The match is
remembered as a ``miracle'' as collegiate ice hockey players
defied expectations in defeating a Soviet team that won 4
consecutive gold medals dating back to 1964.
(5) Team USA defeated Finland 4-1 in its final game to win
the gold medal, its first gold medal since 1960 in men's ice
hockey.
(6) Herb Brooks, the last player cut from the 1960 United
States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that won gold at Squaw
Valley, guided the 1980 team to its historic gold medal. Known
as a motivator, Brooks molded a team built around hard work,
belief in oneself, and belief in teammates. He reminded his
team when they played the Soviets, ``you were born to be hockey
players, everyone one of you . . . and you were meant to be
here''.
(7) The tournament occurred at a time when the United
States was struggling with rampant stagflation, high gas
prices, hostages held in Iran, and increased tensions with the
Soviet Union whose invasion of Afghanistan led to the boycott
of the 1980 Summer Olympics.
(8) The Miracle on Ice was a turning point for ice hockey
in the United States. The game was named the greatest sports
moment of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated.
(9) The historic win brought ice hockey to the front-page
of newspapers everywhere, and forever opened the door to the
National Hockey League for players born in the United States.
The impact of the event was far-reaching and is still being
felt today.
(10) Since 1980, interest in the United States in the sport
of ice hockey has increased exponentially. Registrations with
USA Hockey have increased by nearly 400 percent since 1980 from
136,000 to over 564,000, and the number of National Hockey
League players from the United States has increased from 72 in
1980 to 245 in 2024.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS.
(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 3 gold medals of
appropriate design to the members of the 1980 United States Olympic
Men's Ice Hockey Team, in recognition of their extraordinary
achievement at the XIII Olympic Winter Games where, being comprised of
amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant Soviet hockey
team in the historic ``Miracle on Ice'', revitalizing morale in the
United States at the height of the Cold War, inspiring generations, and
transforming the sport of ice hockey in the United States.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike gold medals with suitable
emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary.
(c) Disposition of Medals.--Following the award of the gold medals
under subsection (a)--
(1) one gold medal shall be given to the Lake Placid
Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York, where it shall be
displayed and made available for research, as appropriate;
(2) one gold medal shall be given to the United States
Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota, where it
shall be displayed and made available for research, as
appropriate; and
(3) one gold medal shall be given to the United States
Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado,
where it shall be displayed and made available for research, as
appropriate.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medals struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs
thereof, 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 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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