[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 115-60
115th Congress

An Act


 
To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Bob Dole, in recognition for
his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and
statesman. <>

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Bob Dole was born on July 22, 1923, in Russell, Kansas.
(2) Growing up during the Great Depression, Bob Dole learned
the values of hard work and discipline, and worked at a local
drug store.
(3) In 1941, Bob Dole enrolled at the University of Kansas
as a pre-medical student. During his time at KU he played for
the basketball, football, and track teams, and joined the Kappa
Sigma Fraternity, from which he would receive the ``Man of the
Year'' award in 1970.
(4) Bob Dole's collegiate studies were interrupted by WWII,
and he enlisted in the United States Army. During a military
offensive in Italy, he was seriously wounded while trying to
save a fellow soldier. Despite his grave injuries, Dole
recovered and was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star
with an Oak Cluster for his service. He also received an
American Campaign Medal, a European-African-Middle Eastern
Campaign Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal.
(5) While working on his law degree from Washburn
University, Bob Dole was elected into the Kansas House of
Representatives, serving from 1951-1953.
(6) Bob Dole was elected into the U.S. House of
Representatives and served two Kansas districts from 1961-1969.
(7) In 1969, Bob Dole was elected into the U.S. Senate and
served until 1996. Over the course of this period, he served as
Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chairman of the
Finance Committee, Senate Minority Leader, and Senate Majority
Leader.
(8) Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the
aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship on issues such as
Social Security.
(9) Bob Dole has been a life-long advocate for the disabled
and was a key figure in the passing of the Americans with
Disabilities Act in 1990.

[[Page 1155]]

(10) After his appointment as Majority Leader, Bob Dole set
the record as the nation's longest-serving Republican Leader in
the Senate.
(11) Several Presidents of the United States have specially
honored Bob Dole for his hard work and leadership in the public
sector. This recognition is exemplified by the following:
(A) President Reagan awarded Bob Dole the
Presidential Citizens Medal in 1989 stating, ``Whether
on the battlefield or Capitol Hill, Senator Dole has
served America heroically. Senate Majority Leader during
one of the most productive Congresses of recent time, he
has also been a friend to veterans, farmers, and
Americans from every walk of life. Bob Dole has stood
for integrity, straight talk and achievement throughout
his years of distinguished public service.''.
(B) Upon awarding Bob Dole with the Presidential
Medal of Freedom in 1997, President Clinton made the
following comments, ``Son of the soil, citizen, soldier
and legislator, Bob Dole understands the American
people, their struggles, their triumphs and their dreams
. . . In times of conflict and crisis, he has worked to
keep America united and strong . . . our country is
better for his courage, his determination, and his
willingness to go the long course to lead America.''.
(12) After his career in public office, Bob Dole became an
active advocate for the public good. He served as National
Chairman of the World War II Memorial Campaign, helping raise
over $197 million to construct the National WWII Memorial, and
as Co-Chair of the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, raising
over $120 million for the educational needs of the families of
victims of 9/11.
(13) From 1997-2001, Bob Dole served as chairman of the
International Commission on Missing Persons in the Former
Yugoslavia.
(14) In 2003, Bob Dole established The Robert J. Dole
Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas to encourage
bipartisanship in politics.
(15) Bob Dole is a strong proponent of international justice
and, in 2004, received the Golden Medal of Freedom from the
President of Kosovo for his support of democracy and freedom in
Kosovo.
(16) In 2007, President George W. Bush appointed Bob Dole to
co-chair the President's Commission on Care for America's
Returning Wounded Warriors, which inspected the system of
medical care received by U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan.
(17) Bob Dole was the co-creator of the McGovern-Dole
International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program,
helping combat child hunger and poverty. In 2008, he was co-
awarded the World Food Prize for his work with this
organization.
(18) Bob Dole is co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center
which works to develop policies suitable for bipartisan support.
(19) Bob Dole is a strong advocate for veterans, having
volunteered on a weekly basis for more than a decade on behalf
of the Honor Flight Network.

[[Page 1156]]

(20) Bob Dole serves as Finance Chairman of the Campaign for
the National Eisenhower Memorial, leading the private
fundraising effort to memorialize President Dwight D. Eisenhower
in Washington, DC.
(21) Bob Dole was acknowledged by many organizations for his
achievements both inside and outside of politics, including
being awarded the ``U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for
Outstanding Public Service By An Elected Official'', the Gold
Good Citizenship Award, the American Patriot Award, the
Survivor's Gratitude Award, the U.S. Association of Former
Member of Congress Distinguished Service Award, a Distinguished
Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor medal, the Horatio
Alger Award, the U.S. Defense Department's Distinguished Public
Service Award, the National Collegiate Athletic Association's
Teddy Roosevelt Award, the Albert Schweitzer Medal ``for
outstanding contributions to animal welfare'', the 2004 Sylvanus
Thayer Award, and honorary degrees from the University of
Kansas, Fort Hays State University, and the University of New
Hampshire School of Law.
(22) Throughout his life-long service to our country, Bob
Dole has embodied the American spirit of leadership and
determination, and serves as one of the most prolific role
models both in and outside of politics.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

(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 a gold medal of
appropriate design to Bob Dole, in recognition for his service to the
nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with suitable
emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck under section 3 under such regulations as the Secretary may
prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and the
cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

(a) National Medals.--The medals struck under this Act are national
medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

[[Page 1157]]

(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.

Approved September 15, 2017.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1616:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017):
Aug. 3, considered and passed Senate.
Sept. 5, considered and passed House.