[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 42 (Thursday, March 13, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1666-S1667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           AWARDING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO SHIMON PERES

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 1456, 
and the Senate proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1456) to award the Congressional Gold Medal to 
     Shimon Perez.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I know the day is long; I feel it as much, 
if not more, than anyone else. But before consent is granted, I can't 
let the night go by and this about to pass without saying something 
about this good man.
  I have had the good fortune to travel the world meeting Kings, 
Presidents, Prime Ministers, and many people, but I have never met 
anyone more impressive than this man. He is a visionary. What he has 
done for the small country of Israel, which is so important to us, is 
something the history books will report for generations to come.

[[Page S1667]]

  I spoke with him earlier this week about another matter. I haven't 
been to Israel a lot of times, but I have been there a few times. Every 
time I go, I make sure to take my delegation to visit him. I always 
tell them this is my favorite. I think so much of this man. It is the 
least we can do for someone who has done so much for world peace and so 
much for our country.
  I will be fairly quick. I was a Member of the House of 
Representatives and was on a delegation led by the late Tom Lantos, a 
Hungarian Jew who escaped the Holocaust because of Raoul Wallenberg. 
There have been a lot of Members of Congress there and a number of 
delegations, but Tom Lantos said to him in that beautiful speaking 
voice he had in that Hungarian accent: Here is our delegation, Mr. 
Prime Minister. We are so sorry to bother you. We know how busy you 
are, how many difficult situations you have in your country.
  I will never forget this. He said: You don't understand. I am never 
too busy to meet with the delegation from the Congress of the United 
States. They have done so much for my country.
  He said a few other things. I have said--and I want the Record to so 
reflect--this is something we need to do as quickly as possible.


                           Amendment No. 2851

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the Bennet amendment, which is at 
the desk, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read three times and 
passed, and the motion to reconsider be made and laid upon the table, 
with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2851) was agreed to, as follows:
       On page 4, line 18, strike ``in honor of'' and insert 
     ``to''.

  The bill (S. 1456) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1456

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Shimon Peres was born in Poland in 1923.
       (2) The Peres family emigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934, and all 
     of the family members of Shimon Peres who remained in Poland 
     were murdered during the Holocaust.
       (3) Before Israel gained independence, Shimon Peres earned 
     the respect of senior leaders in the independence movement in 
     Israel, most notably David Ben-Gurion.
       (4) The founding generation of Israel was central to the 
     development of Israel, and Shimon Peres is the only surviving 
     member of that founding generation.
       (5) Shimon Peres has served in numerous high-level cabinet 
     positions and ministerial posts in Israel, including head of 
     the Israeli Navy, Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, 
     Prime Minister, and President, among many others.
       (6) Shimon Peres has honorably served Israel for over 70 
     years, during which he has significantly contributed to 
     United States interests and has played a pivotal role in 
     forging the strong and unbreakable bond between the United 
     States and Israel.
       (7) By presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon 
     Peres, the first to be awarded to a sitting President of 
     Israel, Congress proclaims its unbreakable bond with Israel 
     and reaffirms its continual support for Israel as we 
     commemorate the 65th anniversary of the independence of 
     Israel and the 90th birthday of Shimon Peres, which are both 
     significant milestones in Israeli history.
       (8) Maintaining strong bilateral relations between the 
     United States and Israel has been a priority of Shimon Peres 
     since he began working with the United States in the days of 
     John F. Kennedy. The strong bond is exemplified by the 
     following:
       (A) President Reagan said to Shimon Peres upon his visit to 
     the United States, ``Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you very 
     much for your visit. It's been an occasion to renew a 
     friendship and to review and enhance the strength of our 
     unique bilateral relationship.''
       (B) At another point President Reagan said of Shimon Peres, 
     ``His vision, his statesmanship and his tenacity are greatly 
     appreciated here.''
       (C) While visiting with Shimon Peres at the Residence of 
     the President in Jerusalem, President Obama described Shimon 
     Peres as ``. . . a son of Israel who's devoted his life to 
     keeping Israel strong and sustaining the bonds between our 
     two nations''.
       (D) On March 20, 2013, Shimon Peres reaffirmed his belief 
     in the relationship between the United States and Israel, 
     stating, ``America stood by our side from the very beginning. 
     You support us as we rebuild our ancient homeland and as we 
     defend our land. From Holocaust to redemption.''
       (E) On March 21, 2013, Shimon Peres stated, ``. . . America 
     is so great and we are so small. But I learned that you don't 
     measure us by size, but by values. When it comes to values, 
     we are you and you are us. . . . As I look back, I feel that 
     the Israel of today has exceeded the vision we had 65 years 
     ago. Reality has surpassed our dreams. The United States of 
     America helped us to make this possible.''

     SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Award Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 
     make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of 
     Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design to 
     President Shimon Peres.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the award 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
     inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       Under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may 
     prescribe, the Secretary may strike duplicate medals in 
     bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 and 
     sell such duplicate medals at a price sufficient to cover the 
     costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of 
     machinery, and overhead expenses.

     SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

       Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for 
     purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

       (a) Authorization of Charges.--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.--Amounts received from the sale of 
     duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in 
     the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

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