Sponsors (48)
Congress authorizes and directs the Mint to strike a Congressional Gold Medal for James Earl Jones, give the gold medal to his son, and permit sale of bronze duplicates with proceeds to the Mint fund.
Official title: To award posthumously a congressional gold medal to James Earl Jones, an American icon, in recognition of a remarkable life in reshaping perceptions, dismantling racial barriers, and advocating for equal opportunities for people of all backgrounds in film and theatre.
Introduced March 6, 2025 by Michael Lawler · Last progress March 6, 2025
The bill provides a formal, lasting national honor for James Earl Jones and enables collectors to buy commemorative medals while relying on the Mint’s numismatic resources to avoid new appropriations — but it is largely ceremonial and poses modest fiscal and operational risks to the Mint and potentially taxpayers if sales don't cover costs.
The American public and cultural community receive a formal, high-profile recognition of James Earl Jones’s lifetime achievements through a Congressional Gold Medal, preserving his legacy nationally.
The medal production and commemorative duplicates are financed through the U.S. Mint’s numismatic program and enterprise fund rather than new annual appropriations, reducing pressure on general Treasury appropriations.
Collectors and members of the public can buy bronze duplicate medals and are able to obtain officially recognized numismatic items, expanding collector offerings and clarifying legal status of these medals.
If sales of duplicate medals fall short of expectations, the Mint (and indirectly taxpayers) could still bear net production costs, creating a potential fiscal exposure.
Using the Mint’s enterprise fund and directing program revenue to cover costs could divert resources or shift priorities within the Mint, modestly affecting other Mint activities and staff allocations.
The honor is purely ceremonial with no direct policy or public-service benefits, yet it requires Treasury/Mint resources to strike and manage the medal program.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to James Earl Jones and instructs the U.S. Mint to strike the medal and authorized bronze duplicates. After the presentation, the gold medal will be given to his son, and proceeds from duplicate bronze sales are deposited into the Mint’s Public Enterprise Fund to cover production costs.