[117th Congress Public Law 72]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 135STAT. 1511]]
Public Law 117-72
117th Congress
An Act
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal, in commemoration to
the servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021,
during the evacuation of citizens of the United States and Afghan allies
at Hamid Karzai International Airport, and for other
purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 16, 2021 - [H.R. 5142]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: 31 USC 5111
note.>>
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) At 9:44 A.M., on August 26, 2021, the Pentagon confirmed
that one explosion occurred at the Hamid Karzai International
Airport.
(2) The explosion was confirmed to be a suicide bombing by
ISIS-K terrorist group.
(3) Estimates as high as 200 deaths were reported, including
13 servicemembers of the United States, as well as hundreds more
wounded.
(4) The attack on Thursday, August 26, 2021, at the Hamid
Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed 13
United States servicemembers, making it the deadliest single day
of the war for the United States in more than a decade.
(5) The American servicemembers went above and beyond the
call of duty to protect citizens of the United States and our
allies to ensure they are brought to safety in an extremely
dangerous situation as the Taliban regained control over
Afghanistan.
(6) The American servicemembers exemplified extreme bravery
and valor against armed enemy combatants.
(7) The American servicemembers dedicated their lives and
their heroism deserves great honor.
(8) <<NOTE: Maxton Soviak. Kareem Nikoui. David
Espinoza. Rylee McCollum. Jared Schmitz. Hunter Lopez. Taylor
Hoover. Daegan William-Tyeler Page. Nicole Gee. Humberto
Sanchez. Dylan Merola. Johanny Rosario Pichardo. Ryan Knauss.>>
Maxton Soviak, Kareem Nikoui, David Espinoza, Rylee McCollum,
Jared Schmitz, Hunter Lopez, Taylor Hoover, Daegan William-
Tyeler Page, Nicole Gee, Humberto Sanchez, Dylan Merola, Johanny
Rosario Pichardo, and Ryan Knauss have been identified as the 13
servicemembers who died from the blast while stationed at Hamid
Karzai International Airport.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS.
(a) Presentations Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate
[[Page 135STAT. 1512]]
shall make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on
behalf of the Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design in
commemoration to the 13 servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan, on
August 26, 2021.
(b) <<NOTE: Determination.>> Design and Striking.--For the purposes
of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the
Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall
strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to
be determined by the Secretary.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal under
subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian
Institution, where it shall be available for display as
appropriate and made available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Smithsonian Institution shall make the gold medal received under
paragraph (1) available for display outside of the District of
Columbia at times, particularly at other locations associated
with the 13 servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on August
26, 2021.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck pursuant to section 2 at a price sufficient to cover the
cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--The medal struck pursuant to this Act is a
national medal for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States
Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of title 31,
United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered
to be numismatic items.
SEC. 5. 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
pursuant to this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--The amounts received from the sale of
duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 3 shall be deposited
into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, 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 Act, submitted for printing in the
[[Page 135STAT. 1513]]
Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee,
provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on
passage.
Approved December 16, 2021.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 5142:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 167 (2021):
Oct. 25, considered and passed House.
Nov. 17, considered and passed Senate.
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