Sponsors (55)
The bill symbolically honors and documents the service of the First Rhode Island Regiment—improving public access and educational use—while imposing only modest, mostly self-funded costs and some financial risk to the Mint without delivering binding reparative benefits.
Descendants of the First Rhode Island Regiment, veterans, and the broader public gain formal recognition as Congress awards a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the unit's Revolutionary War service.
Students, schools, and researchers gain clearer historical documentation and a tangible artifact that supports inclusion of the Regiment's story in curricula and public history.
The bill publicly acknowledges postwar injustices faced by these soldiers (re‑enslavement attempts, unpaid wages), elevating awareness that could underpin future recognition or reparative efforts.
Veterans, descendants, and affected communities receive symbolic recognition but no binding benefits or reparative remedies because the bill's findings and honors are nonbinding.
Taxpayers and the Treasury face modest direct costs to design, strike, and administratively manage the medal program (production, placement, and sales), imposing small fiscal and staff burdens on government agencies.
Using the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund to cover production may reduce available balances for other Mint projects and, if sales fall short, could still leave the Fund or taxpayers with net costs.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal for the First Rhode Island Regiment, directs the Mint to strike it, places the medal at the Rhode Island State Library, and authorizes sale of bronze duplicates priced to recoup costs.
Recognizes the Revolutionary War service of the First Rhode Island Regiment by authorizing a single Congressional Gold Medal to be struck and given to the Rhode Island State Library for display and research access. The law directs the Treasury to design and strike the gold medal, permits the Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicates (priced to recoup costs), treats the medals as numismatic items, and allows Mint costs and duplicate-sale proceeds to flow through the Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Official title: To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Rhode Island Regiment, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Gabe Amo · Last progress February 13, 2025