Officer Eugene Goodman Congressional Gold Medal Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 305 To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Officer Eugene Goodman. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 13, 2021 Mr. CRIST (for himself, Mr. CLEAVER, and Ms. MACE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Officer Eugene Goodman. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Officer Eugene Good- 4 man Congressional Gold Medal Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 The Congress finds the following: 7 (1) On January 6, 2021, the United States 8 Capitol Building was attacked by armed insurrec- 9 tionists. 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:57 Feb 06, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H305.IH H305 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 305 IH (2) Members of the United States Capitol Po- 1 lice force were quickly overrun, enabling insurrec- 2 tionists to breach the Capitol at multiple points. 3 (3) Around 2:14 in the afternoon, United 4 States Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman con- 5 fronted an angry group of insurrectionists who un- 6 lawfully entered the Capitol, according to video foot- 7 age taken by Igor Bobic, a reporter with the Huff- 8 ington Post. 9 (4) Officer Goodman, alone, delayed the mob’s 10 advance towards the United States Senate Chamber 11 and announced the location of the incursion. 12 (5) Upon reaching a second floor corridor, Offi- 13 cer Goodman noticed the entrance to the Senate 14 Chamber was unguarded. 15 (6) As the mob approached, Officer Goodman 16 intentionally diverted attention away from the Sen- 17 ate entrance and led the mob to an alternate loca- 18 tion and additional awaiting officers. 19 (7) At 2:15 in the afternoon, a Washington 20 Post reporter from inside the Senate Chamber noted 21 ‘‘Senate sealed’’ with Senators, staff, and members 22 of the press inside. 23 (8) Officer Eugene Goodman’s selfless and 24 quick-thinking actions doubtlessly saved lives and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:57 Feb 06, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H305.IH H305 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 305 IH bought security personnel precious time to secure 1 and ultimately evacuate the Senate before the armed 2 mob breached the Chamber. 3 (9) Amidst a shocking, unpatriotic attack on 4 the Capitol, Officer Goodman’s heroism is recognized 5 not only from Members of Congress and staff but 6 also from the American people they represent. 7 (10) By putting his own life on the line and 8 successfully, single-handedly leading insurrectionists 9 away from the floor of the Senate Chamber, Officer 10 Eugene Goodman performed his duty to protect the 11 Congress with distinction, and by his actions, Officer 12 Goodman left an indelible mark on American his- 13 tory. 14 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 15 (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 16 the House of Representatives and the President pro tem- 17 pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 18 for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold 19 medal of appropriate design to Officer Eugene Goodman. 20 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 21 presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 22 of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec- 23 retary’’) shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:57 Feb 06, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H305.IH H305 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 305 IH devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec- 1 retary. 2 SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 3 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 4 bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 5 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at 6 a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 7 materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, 8 and the cost of the gold medal. 9 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 10 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu- 11 ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 12 51 of title 31, United States Code. 13 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 14 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 15 under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:57 Feb 06, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H305.IH H305 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS