Everett Alvarez, Jr. Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023

[118th Congress Public Law 161]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 2571]]

        EVERETT ALVAREZ, JR. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT OF 2023

[[Page 138 STAT. 2572]]

Public Law 118-161
118th Congress

                                 An Act


 
    To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, Jr., in 
recognition of his service to the Nation. <<NOTE: Dec. 23, 2024 -  [H.R. 
                                1097]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Everett Alvarez, 
Jr. Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: Determination.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Everett Alvarez, Jr. Congressional 
Gold Medal Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Commander (CDR) Everett Alvarez, Jr., served with 
        distinction in the Vietnam war and made historic sacrifices for 
        the United States as the first United States pilot to be shot 
        down and captured during the Vietnam war and the second-longest 
        prisoner of war in United States history, surviving over eight 
        and half years in captivity.
            (2) CDR Alvarez was born in Salinas, California, in 1937, 
        and was the grandchild of Mexican immigrants.
            (3) CDR Alvarez attended Salinas Union High School and 
        Hartnell College and received a bachelor of science degree from 
        Santa Clara University.
            (4) In 1960, CDR Alvarez joined the United States Navy and 
        was commissioned as Ensign.
            (5) After receiving his commission, CDR Alvarez attended 
        flight training at the Naval Air Basic Training Command in 
        Pensacola, Florida.
            (6) In June 1961, CDR Alvarez was transferred to the Naval 
        Auxiliary Air Station in Kingsville, Texas, where he trained 
        until December 1961.
            (7) CDR Alvarez was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) in 
        April 1962.
            (8) In June 1962, CDR Alvarez joined Attack Squadron 144, 
        nicknamed the ``Roadrunners'', which was deployed to the Gulf of 
        Tonkin prior to the United States entrance in the Vietnam war in 
        August 1964.
            (9) On August 5, 1964, while flying Operation Pierce Arrow 
        from the USS Constellation near the Vietnam-China border, CDR 
        Alvarez's A-4 Skyhawk was shot down and he was captured by a 
        Vietnamese fishing vessel.
            (10) Upon capture, CDR Alvarez was taken to the Hoa Lo 
        Prison in Hanoi, known to many former prisoners as the ``Hanoi 
        Hilton''.

[[Page 138 STAT. 2573]]

            (11) CDR Alvarez spent his first thirteen months, eight 
        days, and five hours in isolation.
            (12) While at Hoa Lo, CDR Alvarez was repeatedly beaten and 
        tortured and was fed inedible meals and suffered malnourishment.
            (13) In September 1965, CDR Alvarez was moved to the 
        ``Briarpatch'', a prison camp west of Hanoi, with no electricity 
        or running water.
            (14) Despite torture and interrogation, CDR Alvarez remained 
        loyal to the United States and assisted other American prisoners 
        of war.
            (15) CDR Alvarez, with his own actions, encouraged and 
        inspired fellow prisoners of war to ``Return with Honor'', which 
        meant keeping their integrity in the face of torture and not 
        cooperating with or divulging information to the enemy, so they 
        could return home having remained loyal to the United States.
            (16) At great risk, CDR Alvarez helped spread the means of 
        communication, including the tap code and the mute hand code, to 
        keep up spirits and stay organized.
            (17) On July 6, 1966, CDR Alvarez and 51 other American 
        prisoners of war were forced to march in the ``Hanoi Parade'' 
        where he was abused and attacked by mobs.
            (18) CDR Alvarez was released February 12, 1973, after 
        spending 3,113 days in captivity, or eight years and six months.
            (19) Following his release and hospitalization, CDR Alvarez 
        resumed his Naval service, returning to Naval Air Station 
        Kingsville for refresher flight training.
            (20) CDR Alvarez attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School 
        in Monterey, California, and received a master's degree in 
        Operations Research and Systems Analysis in 1976.
            (21) CDR Alvarez was inducted into the U.S. Naval 
        Postgraduate School's Alumni Hall of Fame on March 27, 2015.
            (22) CDR Alvarez served in Program Management at the Naval 
        Air Systems command in Washington, DC, from October 1976 until 
        his retirement.
            (23) CDR Alvarez retired from the Navy on June 30, 1980, 
        completing a 20-year Naval career.
            (24) In 1983, CDR Alvarez earned his juris doctor from the 
        George Washington School of Law and has been admitted to the 
        District of Columbia bar.
            (25) In April 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed CDR 
        Alvarez as Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, where he served 
        until 1982.
            (26) In July 1982, President Reagan nominated CDR Alvarez to 
        be Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration, now 
        known as the Department of Veterans Affairs, serving until 1986.
            (27) In February 1987, President Reagan appointed CDR 
        Alvarez to the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services 
        University of the Health Sciences, where he served for nearly 21 
        years.
            (28) For his service, CDR Alvarez was awarded the Silver 
        Star Medal, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying 
        Cross, two Bronze Star Medals, two Purple Hearts, and the 
        Prisoner of War Medal.

[[Page 138 STAT. 2574]]

            (29) On September 18, 2012, the United States Navy Memorial 
        awarded CDR Alvarez the ``Lone Sailor Award''.
            (30) The people of the United States honor the sacrifices of 
        CDR Alvarez and his service to our Nation.
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 
a gold medal of appropriate design to Everett Alvarez, Jr., in 
recognition of his service to the Nation.
    (b) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  Design and Striking.--For purposes of 
the presentation 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. The design shall bear an image of, and 
inscription of the name of, Everett Alvarez, Jr.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    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.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--Medals struck under 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.
SEC. 6. 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 
under this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

    Approved December 23, 2024.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1097:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
            May 21, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 10, considered and passed Senate.

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