[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1616 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
S.1616
One Hundred Fifteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the third day of January, two thousand and seventeen
An Act
To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Bob Dole, in recognition for
his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman.
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 ``Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Bob Dole was born on July 22, 1923, in Russell, Kansas.
(2) Growing up during the Great Depression, Bob Dole learned
the values of hard work and discipline, and worked at a local drug
store.
(3) In 1941, Bob Dole enrolled at the University of Kansas as a
pre-medical student. During his time at KU he played for the
basketball, football, and track teams, and joined the Kappa Sigma
Fraternity, from which he would receive the ``Man of the Year''
award in 1970.
(4) Bob Dole's collegiate studies were interrupted by WWII, and
he enlisted in the United States Army. During a military offensive
in Italy, he was seriously wounded while trying to save a fellow
soldier. Despite his grave injuries, Dole recovered and was awarded
two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with an Oak Cluster for his
service. He also received an American Campaign Medal, a European-
African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and a World War II Victory
Medal.
(5) While working on his law degree from Washburn University,
Bob Dole was elected into the Kansas House of Representatives,
serving from 1951-1953.
(6) Bob Dole was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives
and served two Kansas districts from 1961-1969.
(7) In 1969, Bob Dole was elected into the U.S. Senate and
served until 1996. Over the course of this period, he served as
Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chairman of the
Finance Committee, Senate Minority Leader, and Senate Majority
Leader.
(8) Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle
and embrace practical bipartisanship on issues such as Social
Security.
(9) Bob Dole has been a life-long advocate for the disabled and
was a key figure in the passing of the Americans with Disabilities
Act in 1990.
(10) After his appointment as Majority Leader, Bob Dole set the
record as the nation's longest-serving Republican Leader in the
Senate.
(11) Several Presidents of the United States have specially
honored Bob Dole for his hard work and leadership in the public
sector. This recognition is exemplified by the following:
(A) President Reagan awarded Bob Dole the Presidential
Citizens Medal in 1989 stating, ``Whether on the battlefield or
Capitol Hill, Senator Dole has served America heroically.
Senate Majority Leader during one of the most productive
Congresses of recent time, he has also been a friend to
veterans, farmers, and Americans from every walk of life. Bob
Dole has stood for integrity, straight talk and achievement
throughout his years of distinguished public service.''.
(B) Upon awarding Bob Dole with the Presidential Medal of
Freedom in 1997, President Clinton made the following comments,
``Son of the soil, citizen, soldier and legislator, Bob Dole
understands the American people, their struggles, their
triumphs and their dreams . . . In times of conflict and
crisis, he has worked to keep America united and strong . . .
our country is better for his courage, his determination, and
his willingness to go the long course to lead America.''.
(12) After his career in public office, Bob Dole became an
active advocate for the public good. He served as National Chairman
of the World War II Memorial Campaign, helping raise over $197
million to construct the National WWII Memorial, and as Co-Chair of
the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, raising over $120 million
for the educational needs of the families of victims of 9/11.
(13) From 1997-2001, Bob Dole served as chairman of the
International Commission on Missing Persons in the Former
Yugoslavia.
(14) In 2003, Bob Dole established The Robert J. Dole Institute
of Politics at the University of Kansas to encourage bipartisanship
in politics.
(15) Bob Dole is a strong proponent of international justice
and, in 2004, received the Golden Medal of Freedom from the
President of Kosovo for his support of democracy and freedom in
Kosovo.
(16) In 2007, President George W. Bush appointed Bob Dole to
co-chair the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning
Wounded Warriors, which inspected the system of medical care
received by U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
(17) Bob Dole was the co-creator of the McGovern-Dole
International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program,
helping combat child hunger and poverty. In 2008, he was co-awarded
the World Food Prize for his work with this organization.
(18) Bob Dole is co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center
which works to develop policies suitable for bipartisan support.
(19) Bob Dole is a strong advocate for veterans, having
volunteered on a weekly basis for more than a decade on behalf of
the Honor Flight Network.
(20) Bob Dole serves as Finance Chairman of the Campaign for
the National Eisenhower Memorial, leading the private fundraising
effort to memorialize President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Washington,
DC.
(21) Bob Dole was acknowledged by many organizations for his
achievements both inside and outside of politics, including being
awarded the ``U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Outstanding Public
Service By An Elected Official'', the Gold Good Citizenship Award,
the American Patriot Award, the Survivor's Gratitude Award, the
U.S. Association of Former Member of Congress Distinguished Service
Award, a Distinguished Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor
medal, the Horatio Alger Award, the U.S. Defense Department's
Distinguished Public Service Award, the National Collegiate
Athletic Association's Teddy Roosevelt Award, the Albert Schweitzer
Medal ``for outstanding contributions to animal welfare'', the 2004
Sylvanus Thayer Award, and honorary degrees from the University of
Kansas, Fort Hays State University, and the University of New
Hampshire School of Law.
(22) Throughout his life-long service to our country, Bob Dole
has embodied the American spirit of leadership and determination,
and serves as one of the most prolific role models both in and
outside of politics.
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 gold medal of
appropriate design to Bob Dole, in recognition for his service to the
nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this
Act 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 under section 3 under such regulations as the Secretary
may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof,
including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead
expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--The 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.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.