Sponsors (5)
Introduced July 17, 2025 by Ralph Norman · Last progress July 17, 2025
The bill formally honors and publicly preserves recognition of a specific evacuation team while enabling public purchase of duplicate medals and clarifying Mint procedures, at the cost of modest administrative/production expenses, potential impacts on Mint funds and operations, and some fairness and usage-limit concerns for recipients and buyers.
Veterans and the public: The bill formally honors a specific team (including veterans) for evacuating over 17,000 Afghans, publicly recognizing their bravery and signaling continued U.S. moral support for Afghan allies.
Collectors, the public, and taxpayers: The statute allows affordable bronze duplicate medals to be produced and sold to the public, increasing access to the commemorative item while structuring sales to cover production costs.
Federal agencies and the public: Treating the medals as official numismatic items and clarifying Treasury/Mint procedures reduces administrative ambiguity over sale, custody, and disposition of the medals.
Taxpayers and federal budgets: There will be modest administrative and production costs (minting, presentation, Smithsonian curation, and Mint/Treasury management) that taxpayers ultimately cover if not fully offset by sales.
Mint/Treasury operations: Managing sales, pricing, storage, and disposition imposes an ongoing administrative burden on the Secretary and Mint staff, requiring time and resources.
Mint financial flexibility: Using and relying on the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund to cover costs or expecting sales to replenish it could reduce funds available for other Mint projects and create budget risk if sales fall short.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes Congress to award a single Congressional Gold Medal to seven named individuals in recognition of their actions during the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation, directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike the medal, and requires the medal be given to the Smithsonian for display and research. Directs the Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicates (priced to cover production costs), treats the medals as national numismatic items under federal law, and allows the Mint to charge its Public Enterprise Fund for production costs with proceeds from duplicate sales deposited into that fund.