[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4360 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4360

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Edward J. Dwight, Jr., the first 
       African American astronaut candidate in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 16, 2024

Mr. Bennet (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, 
                       Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Edward J. Dwight, Jr., the first 
       African American astronaut candidate 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 ``Edward J. Dwight, Jr. Congressional 
Gold Medal Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Edward Joseph Dwight, Jr., was born on September 9, 
        1933, to Georgia Baker Dwight and Edward Dwight, Sr., in Kansas 
        City, Kansas. Ed Senior had been a second baseman and center 
        fielder for the Kansas City Monarchs and played on other all-
        Black teams from 1924 to 1937. Georgia was a devoted mother who 
        enrolled her son in a Head Start type program at the age of 2 
        and made sure to expose her children to as much culture as she 
        could.
            (2) Edward Joseph Dwight, Jr., grew up with a passion for 
        art and airplanes.
            (3) Edward became the first African American male to 
        graduate from Bishop Ward Catholic High School in 1951. He then 
        earned an associate degree in engineering in 1953 from Kansas 
        City Junior College. That same year he left to join the Air 
        Force and began flight training.
            (4) After completing flight training, he served as a 
        military pilot and obtained a degree in aeronautical 
        engineering from Arizona State University. During his career as 
        an officer in the Air Force, Edward served at bases in Texas, 
        Missouri, and Arizona, developing technical manuals and 
        training fellow pilots on various instruments, as he 
        accumulated flight hours.
            (5) Edward recalled, ``I was the only Black officer pilot 
        just about every base I was stationed'' and that even at 5'4'', 
        he ``got award after award''. While in the Air Force, Edward 
        earned his Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering from 
        Arizona State University in 1957.
            (6) Edward flew some of the most advanced aircraft of the 
        era and ultimately accumulated over 9,000 hours of flight time, 
        2,000 in high-performance jets. His engineering background and 
        extensive training opened the door for him to enter the test 
        pilot school where the most successful trainees become 
        astronauts.
            (7) Edward was chosen by President John F. Kennedy to enter 
        training as an experimental test pilot. The Kennedy 
        administration knew that a Black astronaut would be an 
        inspiring display of opportunity for African Americans across 
        the country.
            (8) On November 4, 1961, Edward received a letter inviting 
        him to join the astronaut training program. He followed the 
        advice of his mother and accepted the invitation to take the 
        first steps toward improving diversity and talent in the United 
        States space program by becoming the first African American 
        astronaut candidate in the United States.
            (9) Edward went to the Aerospace Research Pilot School at 
        Edwards Air Force Base in California to begin training.
            (10) This was a time of uncertainty where the color of a 
        person's skin mattered more than his or her skill.
            (11) The astronaut candidacy of Edwards became cover news 
        on Black magazines such as Jet, Ebony, and Sepia.
            (12) At Edwards Air Force Base, however, Edward experienced 
        prejudice and scorn, as he recounted in his autobiography 
        ``Soaring on the Wings of a Dream: The Untold Story of 
        America's First Black Astronaut Candidate''.
            (13) Edward completed the experimental test pilot course 
        and entered aerospace research pilot training in preparation 
        for astronaut duties. He successfully completed the course and 
        continued to perform duties as a fully qualified aerospace 
        research pilot.
            (14) On October 18, 1963, the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration (referred to in this section as ``NASA'') 
        announced 14 astronauts for Group 3, but Edward did not make 
        the list.
            (15) While in training, Edward faced obstacles due to his 
        race, which derailed his chance to be the first African 
        American in space. His fight for equality was one of many 
        trailblazing battles happening during the Civil Rights Era.
            (16) The assassination of President Kennedy, the main 
        sponsor in the White House of Edward and the space journey, led 
        to his voluntary separation from the Air Force.
            (17) In 1966, Edward resigned from the Air Force as a 
        captain and moved to Denver, Colorado.
            (18) After the Kennedy assassination, pressure on NASA to 
        fly a Black astronaut waned, and the first African American 
        would not fly in space until Guion Bluford flew with the crew 
        of NASA's eighth space flight on the Space Shuttle orbiter 
        Challenger in 1983.
            (19) After successful careers in the Air Force, and as an 
        IBM systems engineer, restauranteur, aviation consultant, real 
        estate, and construction entrepreneur, Edward dedicated the 
        last 43 years solely to his artistic endeavors.
            (20) In 1974, George Brown, the first African American 
        lieutenant governor of Colorado and a member of the Tuskegee 
        Airmen in World War II, chose Edward to create a bronze bust of 
        him to display in the Colorado State Capitol.
            (21) Being a neophyte to bronze sculpting, and at the age 
        of 42, Edward enrolled at the University of Denver in the 
        Masters of Fine Arts program. While at the University of 
        Denver, he became proficient in metal casting and managed the 
        foundry at the school while also teaching other students. He 
        received his Master of Fine Arts in 1977.
            (22) In 1975, while at the University of Denver, Edward 
        received a commission from the Colorado Centennial Commission 
        to create a series of bronzes depicting the contribution of 
        Blacks to the American Frontier West. The series exhibited for 
        several years throughout the United States, gaining widespread 
        acceptance and critical acclaim.
            (23) In 1979, the National Park Service encouraged Edward 
        to create a bronze series portraying the history and historical 
        roots of jazz. The series was created and entitled ``Jazz: An 
        American Art Form'', which consisted of over 70 bronzes 
        depicting the evolution of jazz from its African origins to the 
        fusion of contemporary music.
            (24) Since his art career began in 1976, Edward has become 
        one of most prolific and insightful sculptors in the United 
        States. As of the date of enactment of this Act, Edward has 
        completed more than 115 large-scale commissioned sculpture 
        installations. His pieces are collected by museums, 
        institutions and art enthusiasts around the world, including 
        the Smithsonian. Ed Dwight Studios, Inc., in Denver, is now one 
        of the largest privately-owned production facilities in the 
        western United States.
            (25) Edward is the recipient of numerable living legends 
        awards from around the country for his achievements in space 
        activities and contributions in art and Black history.
            (26) On August 5, 2020, in recognition of his 
        accomplishments as a scientist, test pilot, and sculptor, the 
        Space Force inducted him as an honorary member. A permanent 
        display is installed at the Pentagon in honor of these 
        achievements.
            (27) In a ceremony at the Pentagon, General Jay Raymond, 
        Chief of Space Operations of the Space Force, presented Edward 
        with the Commander's Public Service Award and inducted him as 
        an honorary member of the Space Force, for his contributions to 
        the United States, space, and history during times of overt 
        racism in the field of science. Astronaut Victor Glover honored 
        Edward by carrying this award with him to the International 
        Space Station during his Crew-1 mission. Despite all that he 
        had to overcome, Edward was an example of excellence, embarking 
        on a nationwide speaking tour encouraging young people to study 
        science, engineering, and math.
            (28) In 2021, the Minor Planet Center, an organization 
        affiliated with the International Astronomical Union, named an 
        asteroid after Edward. NASA has honored him by sending his 
        sculpture ``Pioneer Woman'' to space on Exploration Flight 
        Test-1 in 2014.
            (29) On November 3, 2022, Denver International Airport 
        opened an exhibit titled ``Soaring on the Wings of a Dream,'' 
        the title of Edward's book. The exhibit is on the life of 
        Edward, beginning with childhood and ending with adulthood. It 
        will be on display for 5 months.
            (30) The National Geographic documentary, ``The Space 
        Race'', weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking 
        to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, 
        including Edward, Guion Bluford, Charles Bolden, Mae C. 
        Jemison, Victor Glover, among many others, including Leland 
        Melvin, one of the producers of the film.
            (31) On May 19, 2024, Edward, sponsored by Space for 
        Humanity, will finally travel to space on board Blue Origin New 
        Shepard rocket. At 90 years old, Edward will be the oldest 
        person in space and will train with his crewmates for 2 days 
        before liftoff at the Blue Origin Launch Site One in western 
        Texas.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--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 Congress, 
of a single gold medal of appropriate design to Edward J. Dwight, the 
first African-American astronaut candidate in the United States, in 
recognition of--
            (1) his historic service to the United States;
            (2) the example of excellence during times of struggle and 
        overt racism; and
            (3) his contributions in art and Black history.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation 
described 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. The design shall bear an image of, and an inscription of the 
name of, Edward J. Dwight, Jr.
    (c) Disposition of Medal.--Following the presentation described in 
subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to Edward J. Dwight, Jr., 
or, if unavailable, to Curtis Christopher Dwight.

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 
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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