[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 75 (Monday, May 19, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H4447-H4449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AWARDING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO SHIMON PERES
Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 2939) to award the Congressional Gold Medal to
Shimon Peres, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2939
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 in
honor of 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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Capuano) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and submit extraneous materials for the Record on H.R.
2939, as amended, the bill currently under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume, and I rise today in support of H.R. 2939, a bill to award
a Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres, introduced by the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy). This bill authorizes the minting and
award of a single gold medal in honor of this brave man.
Shimon Peres was born on August 2, 1923, in Wiszniew, Poland. The
Peres family immigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934. All of the family's
relatives who remained in Poland were murdered during the Holocaust
during World War II.
Before Israel gained independence, Shimon Peres earned the respect of
senior leaders in the independence movement in Israel, most notably
David Ben-Gurion. In 1952, he was appointed deputy director general of
the Ministry of Defense, and the following year, he became director
general. At age 29, he was the youngest person to hold this position.
He was involved in arms purchases and established strategic alliances
that were important for the State of Israel. He 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 others.
Mr. Peres has honorably served Israel for more than 70 years, during
which he has helped harmonize the foreign policy interests of Israel
and the United States. He played a pivotal role in forging the strong
and unbreakable bond between our two countries.
Mr. Speaker, the founding generation of Israel was central to the
development of that country, and Shimon
[[Page H4448]]
Peres was the only surviving member of that founding generation.
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 and its continual support for Israel as we
commemorate the 65th anniversary of its independence and the 90th
birthday of Mr. Peres.
Maintaining the strong mutual 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.
Mr. Speaker, this honor is richly deserved. The bill has 294
cosponsors in the House, and a version introduced by Senator Ayotte had
81 cosponsors when it passed the Chamber on March 13. I ask for
immediate approval of this important legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for
yielding me this time. I would also like to thank the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Franks), who is here as well, for his diligent and
important work on this bill.
It has been a pleasure to work with him and see him gather his fellow
colleagues to support an extremely important piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan bill would award the Congressional Gold
Medal to Israel's President, Shimon Peres, in honor of his pivotal role
in forging the strong and unbreakable bond between the United States
and Israel.
The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honors.
It is not lightly conferred or frequently granted. President Peres is
most deserving of this extraordinary recognition.
During my last trip to Israel, I had the distinct honor to spend some
time with President Peres. What impressed me most about the President
was, even at 90 years of age, he is as committed to peace in his
beloved Israel as never before.
During the time that I and my colleagues spent with President Peres,
particularly as someone who was, at that point, not even a year and in
his first term in Congress, the opportunity to listen to Mr. Peres'
words of wisdom and counsel over his decades of service was a true
gift.
Over his tenure in public life, it is Israel's future that has always
lit his way. Throughout our travels in the country, we met with
politicians young and old. We visited sites from Jerusalem to Ramallah
to the Dead Sea; and in each historic site, every meeting, every church
or shrine was a poignant reminder that, without the courage and
strength of leaders like President Peres, Israel's story would be very
different than it is today.
A few days ago, we celebrated Israel's 66th independence day, and we
are also in the midst of Jewish American Heritage Month. Awarding the
Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres is a timely and fitting
acknowledgement of a man whose influence has touched so many lives in
Israel, across the Middle East, and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I urge that my colleagues support this bill. I would
also like to thank, for the Record, Stanley Treitel, Lee Samson, Rabbi
David Baron, Robert Rechnitz, Joe Stamm, and Hassan Ali Bin Ali, who
have been instrumental in this bill.
Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks), the lead Republican
cosponsor on this legislation.
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Huizenga for
yielding, and I also gratefully express my appreciation to Mr. Kennedy
for his work on this. It is always wonderful when Republicans and
Democrats can actually get together.
Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to rise today in favor of H.R. 2939 to
award the Congressional Gold Medal to Israel's President, Shimon Peres.
This award to Shimon Peres is our highest expression of national
appreciation.
Indeed, President Peres' lifetime of dedicated service to the State
of Israel is unparalleled. No countryman has ever served Israel for so
many years, in so many different capacities, as both a key figure in
its foundation and its continued survival and rise in the world.
In his 70 years of state service, Mr. Peres has served in high-level
cabinet positions, including head of the navy, Minister of Defense,
Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, and most recently as President of
Israel.
Throughout his political tenure, he has worked diligently to promote
diplomacy, democracy, and freedom in Israel, across the Middle East,
and across the world in so very many different ways.
Mr. Peres has also been a powerful and dedicated friend to the United
States of America, and he has been instrumental in forming this
unbreakable bond that we have spoken of so often here that exists
between our two nations.
So, Mr. Speaker, not only does this award acknowledge the merit and
noble endurance of President Shimon Peres, it is also an expression of
the American people's continued commitment to the nation of Israel and
its place as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East.
This award reaffirms the important of Israel as the Holy Land, close
to the hearts of millions of committed Jews and Christians in America
and around the world. Moreover, it is an expression of America's
unwavering resolve to our greatest ally in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed colleagues on both
sides of the aisle for cosponsoring this worthy piece of legislation,
and may I also gratefully acknowledge the Shimon Peres Congressional
Gold Medal Commemoration Committee for their gallant dedication to the
ideals that gave rise to this heartfelt award to Israeli President
Shimon Peres.
God bless him, and God bless the friendship between Israel and the
United States of America forever.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I would just like to add my voice to comments about Mr. Peres.
Having met him, I will tell you that he is a totally respectable
gentleman who has been through more difficult times during his life
than hopefully anyone I know will ever have to go through; and yet he
has survived them all with class, with dignity, with the ability to
bring people together. Again, I hope this bill passes unanimously.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2939,
a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres who is the
9th and current President of Israel.
I have had the honor of meeting with President Peres on many
occasions, most recently in February of this year. He is indeed a
person very deserving of the honor of receiving a Congressional Gold
Medal for his contributions to our nation's security interest in the
region and his efforts to advance peace.
A milestone in world history was reached on November 29, 1947, when
the United Nations General Assembly voted to partition the British
Mandate of Palestine, to create the State of Israel.
The people of the United States began a long history with the modern
State of Israel on May 14, 1948, when the people of Israel proclaimed
the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of Israel.
The United States Government established full diplomatic relations
with Israel and this relationship has been fostered by the work of
diplomacy and astute people who worked for the best interest of both
our nations.
I along with millions of friends of Israel will mark the 66th year of
Israel's independence in May 2014.
President Peres played a pivotal role in assuring the security and
resilience of Israel during his years of service to that nation.
In 1949, when Shimon Peres was 26, he was appointed head of the naval
service, and after the War of Independence he was appointed head of the
Ministry of Defense delegation to the United States.
The time he spent in the United States during the formative period
for the new government of Israel helped to develop strong ties within
our government with the new nation.
President Peres recognized the importance of an alliance between the
United States and Israel. His presence in the United States helped to
develop and solidify that relationship that has grown stronger over the
last 6 decades.
President Peres returned to Israel in 1952, at age 29, and David Ben
Gurion, the Prime
[[Page H4449]]
Minister of Israel, appointed Shimon Peres to serve as Director General
of the Ministry of Defense.
He worked to re-organizing the Ministry of Defense, and developing
the ability of Israel to defend itself.
Israel remains America's staunchest friend in the region--a
friendship that has grown stronger over 6 decades. Israel and the
United States join to celebrate the accomplishments of President Peres
in contributing to peace and security for the region.
Israel shares the United States appreciation for democratic values,
common strategic interest, and moral bonds of friendship and mutual
respect.
The establishment of a modern State of Israel as a homeland for the
Jews followed the murder of more than 6 million European Jews during
the Holocaust. This tragic chapter in world history will never be
forgotten and the establishment of a modern State of Israel in no way
relieves those responsible for that terrible crime.
The people of Israel have established a vibrant and functioning
pluralistic democratic political system including freedom of speech, a
free press, free and open elections, the rule of law, and other
important democratic principles and practices.
Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues recognizing the work of President
Peres and look forward to his continued work to advance message of
peace and security he has championed through his efforts as a
statesman, scholar and leader of a great nation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2939, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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