Welles Remy Crowther Congressional Gold Medal Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5519 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5519

    To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Welles Remy 
Crowther, in recognition of his bravery, heroism, and sacrifice in the 
       face of one of the gravest tragedies in American history.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 19, 2025

 Mr. Lawler (for himself, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. LaLota, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. 
 Moore of Alabama, Mr. Ryan, and Ms. Tenney) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Welles Remy 
Crowther, in recognition of his bravery, heroism, and sacrifice in the 
       face of one of the gravest tragedies in American history.

    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 ``Welles Remy Crowther Congressional 
Gold Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Welles Remy Crowther grew up in Upper Nyack, New York, 
        where he served his community as a volunteer firefighter.
            (2) After graduating from Boston College, he returned to 
        New York to begin working as an equities trader at the World 
        Trade Center.
            (3) The events of September 11, 2001, have forever changed 
        our Nation.
            (4) In New York City, in the skies over Pennsylvania, at 
        the Pentagon and in surrounding areas everyday Americans 
        responded to the unprecedented tragedy around them with 
        extraordinary acts of heroism and sacrifice.
            (5) When Flight 175 hit the World Trade Center's South 
        Tower on the morning of September 11, Welles acted with 
        remarkable calm and compassion that was starkly remembered by 
        all those he encountered that morning.
            (6) Welles found other survivors on the 78th floor Sky 
        Lobby and helped lead them to safety, carrying an injured woman 
        down the stairs on his back. Donning his red bandanna to help 
        with the smoke, he repeatedly returned to the Sky Lobby to help 
        rescue others.
            (7) When Welles arrived at ground level, he stayed to join 
        firefighters in attempting to fight fires, administer first 
        aid, and return to save others, until his eventual death when 
        the tower collapsed.
            (8) Through survivors accounts of a ``Man in the Red 
        Bandanna'', Welles mother, Alison, began to piece together what 
        had happened and identified him with those he had aided.
            (9) The red bandanna has become a symbol of his heroic 
        efforts and an inspiration to so many who have been touched by 
        Welles story.
            (10) In the face of tragedy, Welles Remy Crowther 
        demonstrated exceptional bravery, leadership, heroism, and 
        sacrifice.
            (11) As the ``Man in the Red Bandanna'', he has been 
        enshrined in the history and hearts of America as an embodiment 
        of the virtues we all are called to emulate as individuals and 
        as a 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 posthumous presentation, on behalf of 
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration to 
Welles Remy Crowther, in recognition of his bravery, heroism, and 
sacrifice in the face of one of the gravest tragedies in American 
history.
    (b) 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, 
Welles Remy Crowther.
    (c) Disposition of Medal.--Following the presentation described in 
subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the mother of Welles 
Remy Crowther, Alison Crowther.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medal struck pursuant to 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.--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 sections 5134 and 5136 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 
pursuant to this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals authorized under this Act shall be deposited into the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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