[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8653 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8653

   To award a Congressional gold medal to Major Thomas D. Howie, in 
recognition of his bravery and outstanding service during the Battle of 
                               Normandy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 7, 2024

Mr. Duncan (for himself, Mr. Timmons, Ms. Mace, Mr. Fry, Mr. Wilson of 
 South Carolina, Mr. Norman, and Mr. Clyburn) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To award a Congressional gold medal to Major Thomas D. Howie, in 
recognition of his bravery and outstanding service during the Battle of 
                               Normandy.

    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 ``Major Thomas D. Howie Congressional 
Gold Medal''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Major Thomas D. Howie was born on April 12, 1908, in 
        Abbeville, South Carolina, and went on to both a storied 
        academic and athletic career at The Citadel as class president, 
        a star football halfback and captain of the baseball team.
            (2) Major Howie answered his nations call to service by 
        accepting a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Officers 
        Reserve Corps in the Virginia National Guard upon graduation 
        from The Citadel.
            (3) Major Howie was commissioned into the U.S. Army Reserve 
        and later transferred to the Virginia National Guard's 116th 
        Infantry Regiment in Staunton, Virginia.
            (4) Major Thomas Howie valiantly served his country during 
        the Battle of Normandy, demonstrating exceptional courage, 
        devotion to duty, and skill in battle after landing on Omaha 
        Beach on June 6th, 1944.
            (5) Major Howie commanded 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry 
        Regiment, 29th Infantry Division on July 13th, 1944, and 
        shortly thereafter was tasked with rescuing the encircled 2nd 
        Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment.
            (6) Major Howie was instructed by his commanding officer to 
        take St. Lo on July 17th 1944, he decided to leave the battered 
        2nd Battalion behind to recuperate and proceed with only the 
        3rd Battalion. When questioned on this, he was overheard saying 
        ``See you in St. Lo'' to Major General Charles Gerhardt, words 
        which would serve as inspiration for his men in the coming 
        battle.
            (7) While giving his company commanders instructions for 
        the attack, the unit came under fire from German mortars, and 
        Major Howie was killed, a sacrifice for which he was 
        posthumously awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, 
        French Legion of Honor, French Fourragere, and Combat Infantry 
        Badge.
            (8) Major Howie's men strapped his body to a stretcher, 
        draped him with an American flag, and placed him on the hood of 
        a Jeep so that he could be the first American to enter St. Lo. 
        He was laid in the rubble of the St. Croix Cathedral, where 
        fellow soldiers and French civilians paid their respects. From 
        then on, he was known as ``The Major of St. Lo''.
            (9) Major Howie's leadership and unwavering commitment to 
        his soldiers inspired bravery and determination among his 
        troops, ultimately leading to the successful capture of St. Lo, 
        a crucial strategic objective that directly led to Operation 
        Cobra and the Allied Liberation France, Belgium, and the 
        Netherlands from Nazi Tyranny.
            (10) Though his command of the 116th Infantry Regiment was 
        short-lived, Major Howie embodied the extraordinary courage and 
        valor that defined American soldiers during the Battle of 
        Normandy. His sacrifice echoes through the halls of history to 
        inspire Americans to this day.
            (11) The character of Major Howie was used as inspiration 
        for the role of Captain John Miller, portrayed by Tom Hanks in 
        the movie ``Saving Private Ryan''. This brought attention to 
        his remarkable leadership and sacrifice, thereby furthering 
        public recognition of his valor.
            (12) Major Howie's legacy extends beyond the silver screen. 
        Monuments and markers commemorating his valor and leadership 
        stand in Abbeville, Greenwood, and Charleston, South Carolina; 
        Staunton, Virginia; Shelby, North Carolina; and Saint-Lo, 
        Normandy, France. In 2003, South Carolina further honored him 
        with a posthumous induction into the South Carolina Hall of 
        Fame.
            (13) Major Howie's sacrifice and exemplary service 
        symbolize the highest ideals of patriotism, integrity, and 
        dedication to duty.
            (14) Major Thomas D. Howie's legacy continues to inspire 
        future generations to uphold the seven army values of loyalty, 
        duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal 
        courage.

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 posthumous award, on behalf of Congress, of a gold 
medal of appropriate design to Major Thomas D. Howie, in recognition of 
his bravery and outstanding service during the Battle of Normandy.
    (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.
    (c) Presentation.--The gold medal referred to in subsection (a) 
shall be presented to--
            (1) the nephew of Thomas Howie, Tom Howie; or
            (2) if Tom Howie is unavailable, the next of kin of Thomas 
        Howie.
    (d) Award of Medal.--Following the presentation described in 
subsection (c), the gold medal shall be given to The Citadel Museum, 
where it shall be displayed as appropriate and made available for 
research.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    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 such medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses.

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.

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 
pursuant to this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--The 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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