[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5446-S5447]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5953. Mr. PADILLA submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) 
and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. IRAN HOSTAGES CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) On January 20, 1981, United States diplomats, military 
     personnel, and civilians were released after being held 
     hostage for 444 days by militant student supporters of Iran's 
     Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in a violation of international 
     law. The individuals were taken from the United States 
     Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and the ordeal came to be known as 
     the Iran Hostage Crisis.
       (2) The hostages were subjected to intense physical and 
     psychological torture throughout their captivity, such as 
     mock executions, beatings, solitary confinement, and 
     inhospitable living conditions.
       (3) Throughout their time held, the hostages were routinely 
     told to denounce the United States and, when they refused, 
     they were tortured, but remained strong in their spirit.

[[Page S5447]]

       (4) One hostage wrote ``Viva la roja, blanco, y azul'', 
     which translates to ``Long live the red, white, and blue'', 
     on the wall of his cell as a reminder of the values he swore 
     to protect.
       (5) The hostages showed extraordinary courage by 
     continually engaging in acts of resistance against their 
     captors, such as by refusing to sign condemnations of the 
     United States, in the face of gross violations of their human 
     rights.
       (6) Many of the hostages still experience trauma as a 
     result of the events of the crisis and deserve to have their 
     suffering recognized.
       (7) While, as of the date of enactment of this Act, 35 of 
     the hostages are living, it is important that the people of 
     the United States reflect on the resilience and strength of 
     the hostages, which serve as an example to current 
     generations.
       (8) The people of the United States should--
       (A) acknowledge the hostages as heroes who--
       (i) experienced great tribulation; and
       (ii) endured, so that the people of the United States may 
     know the blessing of living in the United States; and
       (B) strive to demonstrate the values shown by the hostages.
       (9) On January 22, 1981, President Jimmy Carter met with 
     the hostages in West Germany and stated the following: ``One 
     of the acts in my life which has been the most moving and 
     gratifying in meeting with and discussing the future and the 
     past with the now liberated Americans who were held hostage 
     in Iran for so long. I pointed out to them that, since their 
     capture by the Iranian terrorists and their being held in 
     this despicable act of savagery, that the American people's 
     hearts have gone out to them and the Nation has been united 
     as perhaps never before in history and that the prayers that 
     have gone up from the people throughout the world to God for 
     their safety have finally been answered.''.
       (10) On January 28, 1981, when welcoming the hostages home, 
     President Ronald Reagan stated the following: ``You've come 
     home to a people who for 444 days suffered the pain of your 
     imprisonment, prayed for your safety, and most importantly, 
     shared your determination that the spirit of free men and 
     women is not a fit subject for barter. You've represented 
     under great stress the highest traditions of public service. 
     Your conduct is symbolic of the millions of professional 
     diplomats, military personnel, and others who have rendered 
     service to their country.''.
       (11) During the 444 days the brave hostages were held, the 
     rest of the United States held its breath, waiting for news 
     of the hostages. The United States hoped and prayed together, 
     as one, for the hostages' safe return.
       (12) Bruce Laingen, who served as United States Ambassador 
     to Iran from 1979 to 1980 and was the highest ranking 
     diplomat held hostage, summed up the experience by saying the 
     following: ``Fifty-three Americans who will always have a 
     love affair with this country and who join with you in a 
     prayer of thanksgiving for the way in which this crisis has 
     strengthened the spirit and resilience and strength that is 
     the mark of a truly free society.''. It is now the 
     responsibility of the people of the United States to honor 
     the spirit, resilience, and strength that the hostages 
     displayed during their 444 days of imprisonment.
       (13) Now, more than 4 decades later, the United States 
     continues to honor the hostages. The recipients of the award 
     bestowed by this section are heroes in every sense of the 
     word. They are role models who wore their pride in the United 
     States with esteem and have allowed for subsequent 
     generations to appreciate the blessing of living in the 
     United States. Today, as we mark 40 years since their 
     release, the people of the United States acknowledge their 
     endurance, strength, and contributions to seeing a more 
     peaceful world. The hostages suffered for the United States 
     and now it is the duty of the United States to recognize them 
     for it.
       (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``hostage'' 
     means a person of the United States who was taken captive on 
     November 4, 1979, in Tehran, Iran, at the United States 
     embassy and released on--
       (1) July 11, 1980; or
       (2) January 20, 1981.
       (c) Congressional Gold Medal.--
       (1) Award authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 
     shall make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf 
     of Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design to 
     the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis, in recognition of 
     their bravery and endurance throughout their captivity, which 
     began on November 4, 1979, and lasted until January 21, 1981.
       (2) Design and striking.--For the purposes of the award 
     referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall 
     strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
     inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of State.
       (3) Smithsonian institution.--
       (A) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal 
     under paragraph (1), the gold medal shall be given to the 
     National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian 
     Institution, where it shall be available for display as 
     appropriate and made available for research.
       (B) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal 
     received under subparagraph (A) available for loan, as 
     appropriate, so that the medal may be displayed elsewhere.
       (d) Bronze Duplicate Medals.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may strike and sell 
     duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to 
     subsection (c), at a price sufficient to cover the cost 
     thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 
     and overhead expenses.
       (2) Proceeds of sales.--The amounts received from the sale 
     of duplicate medals under paragraph (1) shall be deposited in 
     the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
       (e) 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 section.
       (f) Status of Medals.--
       (1) National medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this 
     section are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of 
     title 31, United States Code.
       (2) Numismatic items.--For purposes of section 5134 of 
     title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this 
     section shall be considered to be numismatic items.
       (g) Determination of Budgetary Effects.--The budgetary 
     effects of this section, for the purpose of complying with 
     the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined 
     by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary 
     Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this section, submitted 
     for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of 
     the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has 
     been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
                                 ______