[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 150 (Monday, September 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4274-H4277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MIRACLE ON ICE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 452) to award 3
Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's
Ice Hockey Team, in recognition of their extraordinary achievement at
the 1980 Winter Olympics where, being comprised of amateur collegiate
players, they defeated the dominant Soviet hockey team in the historic
``Miracle on Ice'', revitalizing American morale at the height of the
Cold War, inspiring generations and transforming the sport of hockey in
the United States.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
Senate amendment:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Miracle on Ice Congressional
Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team
competed at the 1980 Winter
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Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and known
as the 1980 Lake Placid games, from February 13 to 24, 1980,
in Lake Placid, New York.
(2) Team USA, comprised of collegiate players, defeated the
defending Olympic champion the Soviet Union 4-3 on February
22, 1980, in the final round of the 1980 Winter Olympics
men's ice hockey tournament.
(3) The 1980 United States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team
roster included--
(A) Bill Baker (Grand Rapids, Minnesota);
(B) Neal Broten (Roseau, Minnesota);
(C) Dave Christian (Warroad, Minnesota);
(D) Steve Christoff (Richfield, Minnesota);
(E) Jim Craig (North Easton, Massachusetts);
(F) Mike Eruzione (Winthrop, Massachusetts);
(G) John Harrington (Virginia, Minnesota);
(H) Steve Janaszak (Saint Paul, Minnesota);
(I) Mark Johnson (Madison, Wisconsin);
(J) Rob McClanahan (Saint Paul, Minnesota);
(K) Ken Morrow (Flint, Michigan);
(L) Jack O'Callahan (Charlestown, Massachusetts);
(M) Mark Pavelich (Eveleth, Minnesota);
(N) Mike Ramsey (Minneapolis, Minnesota);
(O) Buzz Schneider (Grand Rapids, Minnesota);
(P) Dave Silk (Scituate, Massachusetts);
(Q) Eric Strobel (Rochester, Minnesota);
(R) Bob Suter (Madison, Wisconsin);
(S) Mark Wells (St. Clair Shores, Michigan); and
(T) Phil Verchota (Duluth, Minnesota).
(4) The ``Miracle on Ice'' United States and Soviet Union
final round game aired on tape delay on Feb 22, 1980, from
Lake Placid and drew 34,200,000 average viewers. The match is
remembered as a ``miracle'' as collegiate ice hockey players
defied expectations in defeating a Soviet team that won 4
consecutive gold medals dating back to 1964.
(5) Team USA defeated Finland 4-2 in its final game to win
the gold medal, its first gold medal since 1960 in men's ice
hockey.
(6) Herb Brooks, the last player cut from the 1960 United
States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that won gold at Squaw
Valley, guided the 1980 team to its historic gold medal.
Known as a motivator, Brooks molded a team built around hard
work, belief in oneself, and belief in teammates. He reminded
his team when they played the Soviets, ``you were born to be
hockey players, everyone one of you . . . and you were meant
to be here''.
(7) The tournament occurred at a time when the United
States was struggling with rampant stagflation, high gas
prices, hostages held in Iran, and increased tensions with
the Soviet Union whose invasion of Afghanistan led to the
boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics.
(8) The Miracle on Ice was a turning point for ice hockey
in the United States. The game was named the greatest sports
moment of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated.
(9) The historic win brought ice hockey to the front-page
of newspapers everywhere, and forever opened the door to the
National Hockey League for players born in the United States.
The impact of the event was far-reaching and is still being
felt today.
(10) Since 1980, interest in the United States in the sport
of ice hockey has increased exponentially. Registrations with
USA Hockey have increased by nearly 400 percent since 1980
from 136,000 to over 564,000, and the number of National
Hockey League players from the United States has increased
from 72 in 1980 to 245 in 2024.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS.
(a) 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 3 gold medals of appropriate design to the
members of the 1980 United States Olympic Men's Ice Hockey
Team, in recognition of their extraordinary achievement at
the XIII Olympic Winter Games where, being comprised of
amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant Soviet
hockey team in the historic ``Miracle on Ice'', revitalizing
morale in the United States at the height of the Cold War,
inspiring generations, and transforming the sport of ice
hockey in the United States.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike
gold medals with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions
to be determined by the Secretary.
(c) Disposition of Medals.--Following the award of the gold
medals under subsection (a)--
(1) one gold medal shall be given to the Lake Placid
Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York, where it shall be
displayed and made available for research, as appropriate;
(2) one gold medal shall be given to the United States
Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota, where it
shall be displayed and made available for research, as
appropriate; and
(3) one gold medal shall be given to the United States
Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado,
where it shall be displayed and made available for research,
as appropriate.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of
the gold medals 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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Williams) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 452, a bill that awards three
Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's
Ice Hockey Team.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking Congressman Stauber
and the numerous original sponsors for getting this important bill to
the floor today.
``Great moments are born from great opportunity.'' With those words,
Coach Herb Brooks rallied the young, underdog U.S. hockey team during a
dark chapter of the Cold War, a time when Americans faced nuclear
threats, economic uncertainty, and a crisis of confidence.
The Soviet Union's hockey team had dominated for decades, beating the
U.S. in their last 12 matchups, including a crushing 10-3 exhibition
win just 3 weeks earlier. No one expected the Americans to win.
However, on February 22, 1980, in Lake Placid, Team USA shocked the
world, defeating the Soviets in a stunning upset.
It wasn't just a hockey game. It was a symbolic victory for
democracy, resilience, and national pride.
Just days later, they claimed Olympic gold for the United States.
These 20 young men reminded a shaken Nation that its greatest moments
weren't in the past. They were still within reach.
Mr. Speaker, the players of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team are
deserving of these Congressional Gold Medals as the highest recognition
of national appreciation for their determination, courage, and
patriotism.
My hope is that what this team achieved on that ice in 1980 will
continue to inspire Americans today and for generations yet to come.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill. I even remember
where I was at that very moment.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of concurring in the Senate amendment
and passing H.R. 452, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act,
sponsored by our friend, Pete Stauber.
This bill was considered on the floor of this House, and I was
pleased to manage it on the Democratic side, back on April 28. We sent
an excellent bill over to the Senate, and for the first time ever, the
Senate actually improved a House bill. Now, it is appropriate for us to
concur in their amendment, pass the bill, and send it to the President.
Today, we vote to honor the legacy of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice
Hockey Team and their victory that inspired a country at the height of
the Cold War.
This legislation awards three Congressional Gold Medals. Each of
these gold medals will be displayed at different locations for
community members and visitors to commemorate for generations to come.
These locations are the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York; the
Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota; and the Olympic &
Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs.
The victory we are recognizing today took place on February 22, 1980,
when
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the U.S. hockey team heroically defeated the Soviet Union 4-3 at the
Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games.
The talented yet untested U.S. team was initially deemed the
underdog. Many of them were young college players and had only played
together for a few months.
Leading up to the game, the U.S. players took part in a 7-month
training program designed to confront a Soviet team considered to be
the best conditioned hockey team in the world. However, through
steadfast determination and grit, the U.S. team won.
Even decades later, when our country is facing political division and
economic difficulties, I hope these events can serve as a reminder that
we can overcome great challenges.
Mr. Speaker, I applaud the sponsor of this bill and urge my
colleagues to support the passage of this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, normally, when you come up to talk about a
bill, you raise the podium here and put your papers down. Mr. Speaker,
when you talk about the 1980 Olympic game, I don't need any notes. I
don't need any recollection.
``Eleven seconds. You've got 10 seconds. The countdown is going on
right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you
believe in miracles? Yes!''
Friday, February 22, 1980, the game started at 5 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time, 4 p.m. Central Standard Time, where I was a bantam
hockey player, playing in the Pine Valley Ice Shelter. We had one of
our parents come out of the locker room, ``We beat the Russians. We
beat the Russians,'' because it was on tape delay.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud for this body to pass this. As my
colleague, Mr. Sherman, said, it is also coming from the Senate. It
came from the Senate.
The fact of the matter is, as Chairman Williams says, it was more
than a hockey game. It was the height of the Cold War. The United
States needed that lift, and those American heroes gave us that lift.
Those 12 Minnesotans gave us that lift. Coach Herb Brooks from the
University of Minnesota gave us that lift. All of those players
standing on that gold medal platform on Sunday, February 24, all of
them on that small platform, gave America the lift.
A couple of weeks ago, I had dinner with some of the members of the
gold medal team. Captain Mike Eruzione said this to me: Pete, that
hockey game gave me life. Had we not won, I was going to be either a
firefighter, police officer, or go into the military, but that game
changed my life. I made a lot of money. This Congressional Gold Medal
will be the cherry on top for our team.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their unwavering support to
get this across the finish line. It was 40-plus years since they did
that, and 3 weeks, 2\1/2\ weeks before these games, the Soviets
dominated them at Madison Square Garden.
{time} 1520
Mr. Speaker, named after Coach Herb Brooks, we call them Herbies.
Blue line back, red line back, far blue line back, and far goal line
back are Herbies.
Who do you play for? Who do you play for? Team USA. That name on the
front of the jersey meant more than the name on the back--USA.
Dare I say, Mr. Speaker, we in Congress have to do that same thing.
Who do we play for? Who do we play for? The United States of America.
I thank my friend and colleague from upstate New York, Representative
Elise Stefanik, because she was originally going to carry this bill.
Mr. Speaker, she let me carry it.
After a conversation with her, I said: Elise, Minnesota is the State
of Hockey. Herb Brooks comes from the State of Hockey. There were 12
Minnesotans. There was Duluth hometown hero Phil Verchota. There was
Mark Pavelich, John Harrington, Buzz Schneider, and Bill Baker. The
list goes on and on from our great State of Minnesota.
Elise Stefanik said: Pete, you have made a great statement. Carry
that bill.
Representative Stefanik has no idea what it means to me to be able to
deliver this bill with my colleagues across the House floor. That game
meant more to this country than those heroes realized. Yes, it was just
a hockey game, but it was a hockey game that we needed to win at that
moment at that time for this great Nation.
Remember, Mike Eruzione scored with 10 minutes left. The Soviets were
just pressuring us. What did Coach Herb Brooks say up and down the ice?
He said: ``Play your game. Play your game.''
They were the best conditioned. They were a team. Nobody was going to
win that game other than the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, hockey is a great game. I know that my good friend and
colleague, Chairman Williams, thinks, probably rightfully so, that
baseball is America's pastime. For anyone who comes from Minnesota,
hockey is America's pastime. We banter back and forth. I actually think
he is right, but give me some grace.
To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, to Kevin Cramer and
Chuck Schumer, who delivered this across the aisle in the Senate, I
think and believe that we in America, especially with the events that
have happened recently, that name on the front of our jersey means more
than the name on the back. On the front of our jersey, it says:
``USA.''
Those college kids on that Friday had no idea of the impact they were
going to have across this great Nation. Those men went on to do great
things. Some went on to win Stanley Cup championships, such as Kenny
Morrow; my hero, Neal Broten, from Roseau, Minnesota; my hero, Mark
Pavelich, from Eveleth, Minnesota; and my other hero, Phil Verchota,
from my hometown of Duluth. It was integrity, honesty, hard work,
dedication, and the will to win.
Mr. Speaker, the name on the front of our jersey, USA, means more
than the name on the back. I am thrilled to be able to vote on this
piece of legislation. These Olympic heroes deserve this because, as
Captain Eruzione says, it will put the cherry on top of their
accomplishment. It is the highest honor we can give.
As was alluded to earlier, the Olympic Center in Lake Placid is going
to have a Congressional Gold Medal. The United States Olympic &
Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs will have a Congressional Gold
Medal. Yes, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth,
Minnesota, will have a Congressional Gold Medal.
Mr. Speaker, I am excited about this opportunity. Hockey is a great
game. This changed the history of our country. We can never forget what
it meant to us.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I have never heard a speech on the floor of this House
spoken with such enthusiasm. As a Los Angeles Dodgers fan, I do have to
disagree. America's pastime remains baseball. We will see that at 10:10
eastern time, when the Dodgers defeat the Philadelphia Phillies
tonight.
This legislation honors the members of the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic
Hockey Team, whose hard-fought work and commitment reignited a country
at the height of the Cold War. In recognizing this victory, I hope
their legacy will continue to inspire us.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to reiterate the importance of the
1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team uniting during such a
challenging and turbulent period in American history. Their
unforgettable victory solidified the Nation's legacy of excellence both
on the ice and on the global stage. We owe these men a debt of
gratitude for transforming and shaping the landscape of American hockey
over the past four decades.
I thank Congressman Stauber for his leadership and his speech. It was
very good. I thank all of my colleagues in advance for supporting this
measure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) that the House suspend the
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rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 452.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the Senate amendment was concurred in.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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