[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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