Meskwaki Code Talkers Recognition Act

Meskwaki Code Talkers Recognition Act - Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of gold medals of appropriate design to each of the named eight Meskwaki Code Talkers who served during World War II.

Provides for additional medals to other individuals not named in this Act who also served in such capacity.

Allows the medals to be awarded posthumously to a surviving family member of such individuals.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4254 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4254

   To authorize the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 
 President Pro Tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements 
  for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of gold medals to the 
  Meskwaki Code Talkers in recognition of their contributions to the 
          Nation during World War II, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 30, 2004

 Mr. Boswell introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 
 President Pro Tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements 
  for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of gold medals to the 
  Meskwaki Code Talkers in recognition of their contributions to the 
          Nation during World War II, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Meskwaki Code Talkers Recognition 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) During World War II, 8 members of the Meskwaki tribe of 
        Tama County, Iowa, used their native language as code to 
        transmit vital information to the United States Armed Forces 
        regarding enemy actions, locations, troops, and ammunition.
            (2) These Meskwaki tribe members, known as the Meskwaki 
        Code Talkers, worked under challenging conditions in North 
        Africa, taking extreme risks to provide critical information to 
        the United States Armed Forces.
            (3) Frank Sanache, the only surviving Meskwaki Code Talker, 
        endured severe hardships both while he was stationed in North 
        Africa and while he was held prisoner in a Polish internment 
        camp after being captured by the Germans.
            (4) The enemy was never able to translate the native 
        Meskwaki language, and the Meskwaki Code Talkers, among other 
        Code Talkers, are credited with saving the lives of countless 
        members of the United States Armed Forces and contributing 
        significantly to the victory of the United States and its 
        allies.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall make 
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, 
of gold medals of appropriate design to each of the 8 Meskwaki Code 
Talkers, including--
            (1) Edward Benson;
            (2) Dewey Roberts;
            (3) Frank Sanache;
            (4) Willard Sanache;
            (5) Melvin Twin;
            (6) Judy Wayne Wabaunasee;
            (7) Mike Wayne Wabaunasee; and
            (8) Dewey Youngbear.
    (b) Additional Medals.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives 
and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate may make appropriate 
arrangements for the presentation of additional medals to other 
individuals not designated in subsection (a) who also served as 
Meskwaki Code Talkers during World War II.
    (c) Medals Awarded Posthumously.--The medals authorized by this Act 
may be awarded posthumously to a surviving family member of the 
individuals designated in subsection (a) and referred to in subsection 
(b).
    (d) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the presentation 
referred to in this section, the Secretary of the Treasury shall strike 
a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be 
determined by the Secretary.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such 
regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a price sufficient 
to cover the costs of the duplicate medals and the gold medal 
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead 
expenses).

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 6. FUNDING.

    (a) Authority to Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be 
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount 
not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the costs of the medals authorized by 
this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the United States 
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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