Sponsor
Chuck Fleischmann
Representative · R-TN
Representative · R-TN
The bill expands public access to and commemoration of a historic Medal of Honor while enabling the Mint to finance production through sales, trading off modest risks of administrative diversion, reduced fund transparency, and limited affordability for some buyers.
Museum visitors, students, and the general public gain greater access to and recognition of the historic Medal of Honor (including display and loans to museums), improving education, research, and public awareness of Chattanooga's role in Medal of Honor history.
The Treasury/US Mint is given clear statutory authority to produce and sell commemorative medals and duplicate bronzes, and sales can recoup production costs and direct proceeds into the Mint's fund, enabling implementation without new appropriations.
Members of the public and collectors can purchase affordable bronze replicas or official numismatic medals, increasing public access to and ownership of the commemorative item.
The program may divert Mint/Treasury and Smithsonian staff time and resources toward producing, marketing, transferring, preserving, and managing medal sales, potentially reducing capacity for other numismatic programs and creating indirect taxpayer exposure to costs.
Directing sales proceeds into the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund and relying on fund balances to cover costs can reduce transparency and regular appropriations oversight and may limit the fund's availability for other Mint activities.
Buyers must cover replica costs and higher prices could limit who can afford official replicas or medals, restricting access for some members of the public.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal honoring two civilian raiders, directs the Mint to strike it, donates it to the Smithsonian, and allows sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs.
Official title: To posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to James J. Andrews and William H. Campbell in recognition of their extraordinary bravery and steadfast devotion to the Nation during the Civil War as the only civilian members of Andrews' Raiders, who launched a daring military raid that became known as the "Great Locomotive Chase".
Introduced January 28, 2025 by Chuck Fleischmann · Last progress January 28, 2025
Authorizes Congress to present a single Congressional Gold Medal honoring James J. Andrews and William H. Campbell for their roles in the Civil War "Great Locomotive Chase." The Secretary of the Treasury will have the medal struck; the medal is to be given to the Smithsonian for display and research. The United States Mint may produce and sell bronze duplicates to cover costs, and proceeds go to the Mint Public Enterprise Fund.