[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3512 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3512

   To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the 
Congress to the Comanche Code Talkers of World War II in recognition of 
                   their contributions to the Nation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 18, 2001

 Ms. Granger introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the 
Congress to the Comanche Code Talkers of World War II in recognition of 
                   their contributions to the Nation.

    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 ``World War II Comanche Code Talkers 
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Empire attacked Pearl 
        Harbor, Hawaii, and the Congress declared war the following 
        day.
            (2) The military code, developed by the United States for 
        transmitting messages, had been deciphered by the Axis powers, 
        and United States military intelligence sought to develop a new 
        means to counter the enemy.
            (3) The United States Government called upon the Comanche 
        Nation to support the military effort by recruiting and 
        enlisting Comanche men to serve in the United States Army to 
        develop a secret code based on the Comanche language.
            (4) At the time, the Comanches were second-class citizens, 
        and they were a people who were discouraged from using their 
        own language.
            (5) The Comanches of the 4th Signal Division became known 
        as the ``Comanche Code Talkers'' and helped to develop a code 
        using their language to communicate military messages during 
        the D-Day invasion and in the European theater during World War 
        II.
            (6) To the enemy's frustration, the code developed by these 
        Native American Indians proved to be unbreakable and was used 
        extensively throughout the European theater.
            (7) The Comanche language, discouraged in the past, was 
        instrumental in developing one of the most significant and 
        successful military codes of World War II.
            (8) The Comanche Code Talkers contributed greatly to the 
        Allied war effort in Europe and were instrumental in winning 
        the war in Europe. Their efforts saved countless lives.
            (9) Only one of the Comanche Code Talkers of World War II 
        remains alive today.
            (10) The time has come for the United States Congress to 
        honor the Comanche Code Talkers for their valor and their 
        service to the Nation.
            (11) The congressional gold medals authorized by this Act 
        are the recognition and honor by the United States and its 
        citizens of the Comanche Code Talkers who distinguished 
        themselves in performing a unique, highly successful 
        communications operation that greatly assisted in saving 
        countless lives and in hastening the end of World War II in 
        Europe.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized to 
present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design 
to each of the following Comanche Code Talkers of World War II, in 
recognition of their contributions to the Nation:
            (1) Charles Chibitty.
            (2) Haddon Codynah.
            (3) Robert Holder.
            (4) Forrest Kassanovoid.
            (5) Willington Mihecoby.
            (6) Perry Noyebad.
            (7) Clifford Otitivo.
            (8) Simmons Parker.
            (9) Melvin Permansu.
            (10) Dick Red Elk.
            (11) Elgin Red Elk.
            (12) Larry Saupitty.
            (13) Morris Sunrise.
            (14) Willie Yackeschi.
    (b) Medals Awarded Posthumously.--Medals authorized to be presented 
under subsection (a) may be awarded posthumously on behalf of, and 
presented to a surviving family member of, the recipient of the medal.
    (c) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the presentation 
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.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, 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 of the 
bronze medals (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses) and the costs of the gold medal.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 6. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE.

    (a) Authorization.--There is authorized to be charged against the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed 
$110,000 to pay for the cost of the medals authorized by this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the United States 
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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