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Awards a single Congressional Gold Medal to the Buffalo Soldier regiments (the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry) in recognition of their service from the 1860s through the Korean War. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury/Mint to design and strike the medal, places the gold medal with the National Museum of African American History and Culture for display and research, and authorizes the Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicates at prices that cover production costs, with proceeds deposited to the Mint Public Enterprise Fund. Treats medals struck under the Act as national medals and numismatic items under federal law; allows the Mint to recover costs from sales and from the Mint Public Enterprise Fund. The bill is ceremonial and memorial in nature, creating a commemorative national medal and procedures for its manufacture, custody, display, and duplicate sales without creating new ongoing program spending or tax changes.
In 1866, Congress passed the Army Organization Act which authorized the creation of six all-Black cavalry and infantry regiments; these regiments remained active until the Army was desegregated in 1951.
According to legend, American Indians called the Black cavalry troops “Buffalo Soldiers” because their dark, curly hair resembled a buffalo’s coat.
The African‑American troops accepted the name “Buffalo Soldiers” with pride and honor, associating it with the buffalo’s bravery and fighting spirit.
The original six regiments later formed four regiments: (A) 9th Cavalry Regiment (assembled in New Orleans in Aug–Sep 1866; ordered to San Antonio in Apr 1867 to maintain order and secure the road from San Antonio to El Paso); (B) 10th Cavalry Regiment (gathered at Fort Leavenworth in summer 1867; ordered to Fort Riley in Aug 1867 to protect the Pacific Railroad); (C) 24th Infantry Regiment (organized in 1869 from the 38th and 41st Colored Infantry Regiments; served throughout the Western U.S. to protect frontier posts and secure roadways); (D) 25th Infantry Regiment (assembled at Camp William Penn beginning Jan 1864; assigned to districts within the Department of the Gulf to maintain security).
Buffalo Soldiers helped protect National Parks, fought wildfires and poachers in Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, and served as park rangers in the Sierra Nevada.
Primary affected groups and institutions:
Buffalo Soldiers, their descendants, and Veterans communities: The Act provides official national recognition of the collective service and sacrifices of the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry, elevating public awareness and commemoration. This is symbolic recognition rather than a benefits change.
African American communities and historians: The medal and public display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture create educational and research opportunities, increasing visibility of the regiments' role in U.S. history.
Smithsonian Institution / NMAAHC: Receives the gold medal for display and research, with an express congressional expectation that it may loan or display the medal elsewhere; the museum will handle conservation, interpretation, and possible touring arrangements.
U.S. Mint and Department of the Treasury: Must design, produce, and manage the gold medal and optional bronze duplicates; they will set pricing sufficient to recover production costs and will credit proceeds to the Mint Public Enterprise Fund. Operational workload includes design approval, production scheduling, cost accounting, marketing/sales of duplicates, and deposits to the Fund.
Federal budget and public finances: The bill does not appropriate funds or change taxes. Fiscal impact is expected to be small and largely self-funded via the Mint Public Enterprise Fund because duplicate sales must recover production costs. No new entitlement or recurring program obligations are created.
Public and educational institutions: Museums, K–12 and higher‑education teachers, and public history organizations benefit from an additional national artifact and interpretive opportunity.
Implementation notes:
Overall impact: symbolic and educational recognition with limited fiscal effects; administrative work for the Mint, Treasury, and Smithsonian but no new federal benefit programs, tax changes, or mandates on states or localities.
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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.
Introduced February 18, 2025 by Marilyn Strickland · Last progress February 18, 2025
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.
Introduced in House
