Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1179 To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the former hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979–1981, highlighting their resilience throughout the unprecedented ordeal which they lived through and the national unity it produced, marking four decades since their 444 days in captivity, and recognizing their sacrifice to our country. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 18, 2021 Mr. SUOZZI (for himself, Mr. BACON, Mr. MOONEY, Mr. KILMER, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. TRONE, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. HUFFMAN) introduced the fol- lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- tion of the committee concerned A BILL To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the former hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979–1981, highlighting their resilience throughout the unprecedented ordeal which they lived through and the national unity it pro- duced, marking four decades since their 444 days in captivity, and recognizing their sacrifice to our country. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1179 IH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iran Hostages Con- 2 gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 3 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 4 The Congress finds the following: 5 (1) On January 20, 1981, United States dip- 6 lomats, military personnel, and civilians were re- 7 leased after being held hostage for 444 days by mili- 8 tant student supporters of Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah 9 Khomeini in a violation of international law. They 10 were taken from the United States Embassy in 11 Tehran, Iran, this came to be known as the Iran 12 Hostage Crisis. 13 (2) The hostages were subjected to intense 14 physical and psychological torture throughout their 15 captivity, such as mock execution, beatings, solitary 16 confinement, and inhospitable living conditions. 17 (3) Throughout their time held, they were rou- 18 tinely told to denounce the United States, when they 19 refused, they were tortured, yet they remained 20 strong in their spirit. 21 (4) One hostage wrote ‘‘Viva la roja, blanco, y 22 azul’’ which translates to ‘‘Long live the red, white, 23 and blue’’ on the wall of his cell as a reminder of 24 the values he swore to protect. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1179 IH (5) The hostages showed extraordinary courage 1 by continually engaging in acts of resistance against 2 their captors in the face of gross violations of their 3 human rights, such as refusing to sign condemna- 4 tions of the United States. 5 (6) Many of the hostages still experience trau- 6 ma as a result of the events of the crisis and deserve 7 to have their suffering recognized. 8 (7) While 35 of the hostages are still living, it 9 is important that we reflect on their resilience and 10 strength which serve as an example to current gen- 11 erations. Let us acknowledge them as heroes, who 12 stood in positions of great tribulation but who, for 13 us, endured so that we may know the blessing of 14 being an American. Let us be more like them. 15 (8) On January 22, 1981, President Jimmy 16 Carter met with the hostages in West Germany and 17 stated, ‘‘One of the acts in my life which has been 18 the most moving and gratifying in meeting with and 19 discussing the future and the past with the now lib- 20 erated Americans who were held hostage in Iran for 21 so long. I pointed out to them that, since their cap- 22 ture by the Iranian terrorists and their being held 23 in this despicable act of savagery, that the American 24 people’s hearts have gone out to them and the na- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1179 IH tion has been united as perhaps never before in his- 1 tory and that the prayers that have gone up from 2 the people throughout the world to God for their 3 safety have finally been answered.’’. 4 (9) On January 28, 1981, when welcoming the 5 hostages home, President Ronald Reagan stated, 6 ‘‘You‘ve come home to a people who for 444 days 7 suffered the pain of your imprisonment, prayed for 8 your safety, and most importantly, shared your de- 9 termination that the spirit of free men and women 10 is not a fit subject for barter. You’ve represented 11 under great stress the highest traditions of public 12 service. Your conduct is symbolic of the millions of 13 professional diplomats, military personnel, and oth- 14 ers who have rendered service to their country.’’. 15 (10) During the 444 days the brave Americans 16 were held, the rest of the country held its breath, 17 waiting for news of the hostages. The country hoped 18 and prayed together, as one, for the hostages’ safe 19 return. 20 (11) United States Ambassador to Iran from 21 1979 to 1980 Bruce Laingen, the highest ranking 22 diplomat held hostage, summed up the experience by 23 saying ‘‘Fifty-three Americans who will always have 24 a love affair with this country and who join with you 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 1179 IH in a prayer of thanksgiving for the way in which this 1 crisis has strengthened the spirit and resilience and 2 strength that is the mark of a truly free society.’’. 3 It is now our responsibility to honor the spirit, resil- 4 ience, and strength that the hostages displayed dur- 5 ing their 444 days of imprisonment. 6 (12) Now, more than four decades later, we 7 continue to honor the hostages. The recipients of 8 this award are heroes in every sense of the word. 9 They are role models that wore their American pride 10 with esteem and have allowed for subsequent genera- 11 tions to appreciate the blessing of being an Amer- 12 ican. Today, as we prepare to mark 40 years after 13 their release, we acknowledge their endurance, 14 strength, and contributions to seeing a more peace- 15 ful world. They suffered for America and now it is 16 our duty to recognize them for it. 17 SEC. 3. DEFINITION. 18 In this Act, the term ‘‘hostage’’ means an American 19 that was taken captive on November 4, 1979, in Tehran, 20 Iran, at the United States embassy and released on— 21 (1) July 11, 1980; or 22 (2) January 20, 1981. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 1179 IH SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 1 (a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 2 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 3 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 4 award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of 5 appropriate design to the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage 6 Crisis, in recognition of their bravery and endurance 7 throughout their captivity which started on November 4, 8 1979, and lasted until January 21, 1981. 9 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 10 award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 11 Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 12 strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 13 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 14 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 15 (1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 16 gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal 17 shall be given to the National Museum of American 18 History of the Smithsonian Institution, where it 19 shall be available for display as appropriate and 20 made available for research. 21 (2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 22 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 23 make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) 24 available for loan, as appropriate, so that the medal 25 may be displayed elsewhere. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 1179 IH SEC. 5. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 1 (a) SILVER DUPLICATE MEDALS.— 2 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall strike 3 duplicates in silver of the gold medal struck pursu- 4 ant to section 4 to be awarded in accordance with 5 paragraph. 6 (2) ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARD.— 7 (A) IN GENERAL.—A hostage shall be eli- 8 gible to be awarded a silver duplicate medal 9 struck under paragraph (1) in recognition of 10 the endurance of the Iran Hostages. 11 (B) DEATH OF A HOSTAGE.—In the event 12 of the death of a hostage who has not been 13 awarded a silver duplicate medal under this 14 subsection, the Secretary may award a silver 15 duplicate medal to the next of kin or other per- 16 sonal representative of the hostage. 17 (b) BRONZE DUPLICATE MEDALS.—The Secretary 18 may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal 19 struck pursuant to section 4 under such regulations as the 20 Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the 21 cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of ma- 22 chinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold 23 and silver medals. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 1179 IH SEC. 6. STATUS OF MEDALS. 1 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu- 2 ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 3 51 of title 31, United States Code. 4 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 6 under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 7 SEC. 7. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 8 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 9 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 10 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 11 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 12 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 13 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro- 14 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 15 vote on passage. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:32 Mar 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1179.IH H1179 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with BILLS