Sponsor
Kweisi Mfume
Representative · D-MD
Representative · D-MD
The bill formally honors Doris Miller and authorizes the Mint to produce and sell cost‑recovery replicas—preserving taxpayer funds and enabling public access—while creating administrative responsibilities and financial risk to the Mint’s fund that could indirectly affect taxpayers or limit broader commemorative revenue.
Members of the public, historians, schools, and African-American communities gain an officially recognized, tangible tribute to Doris Miller that raises public awareness of his WWII valor and historic racial discrimination in military assignments (medal to be displayed and available for research).
The U.S. Mint and Treasury receive clear legal authority and administrative classification to produce and sell the medal as a national/numismatic item, simplifying legal/admin processes for federal staff and clarifying responsibilities.
The public (collectors, families, and general buyers) can purchase affordable bronze replicas as keepsakes, with sales structured to recover production costs so taxpayers are not required to subsidize replica production.
If sales of duplicate bronze medals fall short of expectations, the Public Enterprise Fund (and indirectly taxpayers) could bear net production costs or losses, and charging the Fund may reduce funds available for other Mint activities.
Classifying the medals as numismatic items and selling replicas could prioritize collector markets and impose additional administrative, reporting, and transaction costs on the Mint/Treasury that are ultimately managed by federal staff and borne by taxpayers.
Limiting replica pricing to production-cost recovery constrains potential revenue that might have funded related commemorative programs or offsets and could complicate decisions if demand outstrips the Mint’s cost-recovery sales model.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal for Doris Miller, directs striking and Smithsonian custody, and permits sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs.
Official title: To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Doris Miller, in recognition of his acts of valor while a member of the United States Navy during World War II.
Introduced March 25, 2025 by Kweisi Mfume · Last progress March 25, 2025
Creates and directs the issuance of a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal honoring Navy sailor Doris Miller for his heroism at Pearl Harbor and service in World War II; the gold medal will be struck by the Treasury, given to the Smithsonian for display, and duplicate bronze copies may be produced and sold to cover costs. The bill designates the medals as national medals and numismatic items under federal law and authorizes the U.S. Mint to use and be reimbursed from its Public Enterprise Fund for costs of striking the medals and depositing proceeds from duplicate sales into that fund.