[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 113-114
113th Congress

An Act


 
To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres. <>

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.''.

[[Page 1176]]

(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.

[[Page 1177]]

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

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

Approved June 9, 2014.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2939:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 160 (2014):
May 19, considered and passed House.
May 20, considered and passed Senate.