Authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to collectively honor the American soldiers who were prisoners of war at Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon during World War II, in recognition of their personal sacrifice and service to their country. Provides for the Medal's display at the Smithsonian Institution.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Medal should be made available for display elsewhere, particularly at locations associated with those who fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon and the prisoners of war.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2598 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2598
To grant a congressional gold medal to American military personnel who
fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon between December 7, 1941
and May 6, 1942.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2009
Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Sestak, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr.
Rodriguez, Mr. Massa, Mr. Altmire, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. McGovern,
Mr. Spratt, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Connolly of Virginia, Mr. Reyes,
Mr. Hinchey, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Teague, Ms. Kosmas, Mr. Hare,
Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Honda, Mr. Conaway, and Mr. Franks of Arizona)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House
Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To grant a congressional gold medal to American military personnel who
fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon between December 7, 1941
and May 6, 1942.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked Clark
Field, Luzon, Philippines Islands.
(2) By May 6, 1942, military personnel from the United
States and the Philippines had bravely and staunchly fought off
enemy attacks for more than 5 months under strenuous conditions
that resulted in starvation and disease.
(3) By maintaining their position and engaging the enemy
for as long as they did, the soldiers at Bataan were able to
redefine the momentum of the war and provide other United
States and Allied forces throughout the Pacific with time to
plan and prepare for subsequent crucial battles.
(4) On April 9, 1942, then-Brigadier General Edward King
surrendered the combined forces of the United States and the
Philippines on the Bataan Peninsula into enemy hands.
(5) Over the next week, the soldiers from the United States
and the Philippines were taken prisoner and forced to march 65
miles without any food, water, or medical care in what came to
be know as the Bataan Death March.
(6) During this forced march, thousands of soldiers died,
either from starvation, lack of medical care, sheer exhaustion,
or abuse by their captors.
(7) Within the first 40 days at Camp O'Donnell, 1,600 more
prisoners from the United States died.
(8) On May 6, 1942, then-Lieutenant General Jonathan M.
Wainwright surrendered the island fortress of Corregidor and
its fortified islands into enemy hands.
(9) Over the next 10 days, prisoners from Corregidor were
held in the open, exposed to the elements with little or no
food or water.
(10) They were subsequently transported to the old Bilibid
Prison in Manila and held several more days until they were
loaded into cattle rail cars for transport, followed by a
forced march of over 20 miles to Cabanatuan.
(11) The conditions at the camp were substandard, leading
to increased disease and malnutrition among the prisoners.
(12) On June 6, 1942, United States prisoners were
transferred from Camp O'Donnell to Cabanatuan.
(13) In July 1942, all Filipino prisoners were paroled.
(14) The prisoners who remained in the camps suffered from
continued mistreatment, malnutrition, lack of medical care, and
horrific conditions.
(15) In 1945, all prisoners were liberated.
(16) Over the subsequent decades, these prisoners formed
support groups, were honored in local and State memorials, and
told their story to all people of the United States.
(17) Many of these soldiers have now passed away, and those
who remain continue to tell their story.
(18) The people of the United States are forever indebted
to these men for--
(A) the courage they demonstrated during the first
5 months of World War II in fighting against enemy
soldiers; and
(B) the perseverance they demonstrated during 3 1/2
years of capture, imprisonment, and atrocious
conditions, while maintaining dignity, honor,
patriotism, and loyalty.
SEC. 2. 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 in honor of the soldiers from the United
States who were prisoners of war at Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon,
collectively, in recognition of their personal sacrifice and service to
their country.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the award under
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.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal in
honor of the prisoners of war at Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon under
subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the
Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be displayed as
appropriate and made available for research.
(2) Sense of the congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal
received under paragraph (1) available for display at other
locations, particularly such locations as are associated with
those who fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon and the
prisoners of war.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
(a) Striking of Duplicates.--Under such regulations as the
Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may strike duplicates in bronze
of the gold medal struck under section 2.
(b) Selling of Duplicates.--The Secretary may sell such duplicates
under subsection (a) at a price sufficient to cover the costs of such
duplicates, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
Medals struck pursuant to this Act are National medals for purposes
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--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 cost of the medal
authorized under section 2.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Financial Services
Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Administration
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