Sponsors (61)
Awards a Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment, directs minting and display at the Rhode Island State Library, and allows sale of bronze duplicates to recoup minting costs.
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
The bill formally recognizes and preserves the legacy of Black and Indigenous Revolutionary War soldiers and makes commemorative medals accessible to the public, while creating modest administrative work and financial risks for the Mint and taxpayers and offering no direct reparative benefits to veterans or descendants.
Black and Indigenous Revolutionary War soldiers, their descendants, and the broader public gain formal recognition: Congress's findings and the awarding of a Congressional Gold Medal acknowledge their service and injustices, raising public awareness and supporting inclusion in education and public history.
Students, researchers, and the public get improved access to the historic artifact because the gold medal will be placed at the Rhode Island State Library for display and study.
General public and collectors can buy official bronze replicas, and sales are structured to cover production costs with proceeds returning to the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund, enabling broader access without new congressional appropriations.
Veterans, descendants, and racial-ethnic communities receive symbolic recognition but no legally binding benefits, compensation, or remedies because the findings and the award are nonbinding.
Taxpayers and the Mint bear modest financial risk: the Treasury/Mint incur design/strike and administrative costs, the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund could be reduced or forced to absorb net costs if sales fall short, and commemorative spending tied to the recognition could create additional expenses.
Federal and state staff face modest administrative burdens to price, produce, manage sales, and curate/display the medal, requiring staff time and resources.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Awards a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment in recognition of its Revolutionary War service, directs the Treasury to strike the medal and transfer it to the Rhode Island State Library for display and research access, and permits production and sale of bronze duplicate medals at prices that recoup production costs. Establishes the medals as national numismatic items and allows the U.S. Mint to charge its Public Enterprise Fund for production costs while depositing duplicate-sale proceeds into that fund.