[117th Congress Public Law 84]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 7]]
WILLIE O'REE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD
MEDAL ACT
[[Page 136 STAT. 8]]
Public Law 117-84
117th Congress
An Act
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Willie O'Ree, in recognition of
his extraordinary contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and
recreational opportunity. <<NOTE: Jan. 31, 2022 - [S. 452]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Willie O'Ree
Congressional Gold Medal Act. 31 USC 5111 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Willie O'Ree was the first Black player to compete in
the National Hockey League (NHL), appearing for the Boston
Bruins on January 18, 1958, in the throes of the civil rights
movement in the United States helping to end racial segregation
in the premier professional ice hockey league; he is widely
referred to as the ``Jackie Robinson of Hockey''.
(2) <<NOTE: Paris O'Ree.>> Willie O'Ree was born October
15, 1935, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; he is the
youngest of 13 children and a descendant of Paris O'Ree, whose
name appears in the famous historical document ``The Book of
Negroes''.
(3) Willie O'Ree was raised by his parents in Fredericton, a
predominantly White town where hockey was deeply rooted within
the culture. O'Ree was a standout athlete on the ice and the
baseball diamond.
(4) At age 21, O'Ree was being scouted by professional
baseball teams and seriously considered baseball as a career.
Upon experiencing the segregated South for the first time while
appearing for a minor league tryout, his dream changed and his
attention turned solely to ice hockey.
(5) While playing amateur hockey, Willie was struck in his
right eye with a puck and lost his eyesight. He was told by
doctors to abandon his hockey career; instead, never disclosing
the extent of his injury, he pursued his dream of playing
professional hockey.
(6) At the age of 22, O'Ree was called up from the Quebec
Aces of the Quebec Hockey League (QHL) to play for the NHL's
Boston Bruins at a time when only 6 teams existed in the league.
O'Ree was unaware he had broken the color barrier at the top
level of the sport until he read it in the newspaper the
following day.
[[Page 136 STAT. 9]]
(7) Blind in 1 eye and a victim of racism at times
throughout his career, O'Ree persevered and played professional
hockey for 22 years, tallying over 1,000 points.
(8) In 1996, 17 years after O'Ree retired from professional
hockey, the National Hockey League hired O'Ree as the first-ever
Diversity Ambassador. Having already changed the game forever
through his courage and convictions, O'Ree gives new definition
to what it means to be a trailblazer.
(9) In this role as Diversity Ambassador with the NHL, O'Ree
set out to grow the sport by providing access, opportunity, and
motivation for children of all races, ethnicities, origins, and
abilities. With O'Ree providing a vivid example of what is
possible and serving as a relentless supporter of children
pursuing their dreams, more than 30 nonprofit youth
organizations, dubbed Hockey is for Everyone programs, were
developed across North America, each committed to offering
minority and underserved children an opportunity to play hockey,
leveraging the sport to build character, foster positive values,
and develop important life skills.
(10) Through Hockey is for Everyone programs, more than
120,000 boys and girls have been positively impacted. O'Ree has
devoted nearly 2,500 days on the ground with the youth
participants, visiting more than 500 schools, community centers,
and rinks to speak to hockey's core values and beliefs: stay in
school; set goals for yourself; remain committed and
disciplined; and always respect your teammates, coaches, and
parents.
(11) Hockey is for Everyone programs have provided important
opportunities for youth to partake in physical fitness. Today in
the United States, fewer than half of the children ages 6-11
engage in the recommended amount of physical activity, and that
number is lower for low-income families. O'Ree has stood as a
champion of youth athletic participation and its health benefits
for decades.
(12) Hockey is for Everyone programs provide numerous off-
ice services to youth: SAT and academic tutoring, mentoring,
nutrition education, college counseling, community service
opportunities, and more. The program has excelled at using
hockey as a vehicle to improve the social and emotional wellness
of youth and improve students' academic performances both in
primary school and beyond.
(13) O'Ree was also named a Member of the Order of Canada in
2008 and, in 2018, the City of Boston released an official
Proclamation recognizing January 18, the anniversary of the day
he broke into the game, as ``Willie O'Ree Day''.
(14) In November 2018, 60 years after O'Ree entered the NHL,
he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the ``builder''
category in recognition of his efforts to grow the game, using
his position and the platform of hockey to improve the lives of
children throughout North America.
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 the Congress, of a single gold
medal of appropriate design to Willie
[[Page 136 STAT. 10]]
O'Ree, or if unavailable, to a member of his family, in recognition of
his extraordinary contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and
recreational opportunity.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike the gold medal with
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the
Secretary. The design shall bear an image of, and an inscription of the
name of, Willie O'Ree.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient
to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use
of machinery, and overhead expenses.
(b) Proceeds of Sales.--The amounts received from the sale of
duplicate medals under subsection (a) shall be deposited in the United
States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
(c) 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.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medal.--The medals struck pursuant to this Act are
national medals 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.
Approved January 31, 2022.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 452:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 167 (2021):
July 27, considered and passed
Senate.
Vol. 168 (2022):
Jan. 19, considered and passed
House.
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