Sponsors (20)
The bill honors and preserves the history of World War II Army and Navy nurses with a Congressional Gold Medal and public displays while using Mint mechanisms to cover costs — a meaningful symbolic recognition that increases public awareness but provides no direct benefits to veterans and may shift modest costs or access limits onto collectors and Mint resources.
World War II Army and Navy nurses (survivors and families) will receive formal Congressional recognition through authorization of a Congressional Gold Medal and permanent Smithsonian placement, increasing public acknowledgement of their service and preserving their story for researchers and the public.
The bill documents historical inequities (pay, delayed rank, racial discrimination) faced by these nurses, which raises public awareness and could support future corrective policies, commemorations, or targeted outreach.
The public can access the medal design through bronze duplicate sales and multi-site displays (Smithsonian and military/museum sites), increasing educational access and allowing collectors and families to obtain copies.
Veterans and surviving families receive symbolic recognition only—this bill does not provide new benefits, compensation, or immediate material relief, so those seeking tangible remedies may see no direct help.
Production, curation, marketing, and administrative costs will be borne by the Mint/Treasury and Smithsonian (and ultimately the Mint's funds), creating small fiscal costs and opportunity costs that could divert resources from other Mint or museum activities.
Classifying the duplicates as numismatic/collector items risks high pricing that limits access for lower-income members of the public, meaning many interested citizens may be unable to afford a bronze duplicate despite public displays.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Creates and awards a Congressional Gold Medal to WWII Army and Navy nurses, directs the minting and Smithsonian transfer, and authorizes sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs.
Official title: To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the brave women who served in World War II as members of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and U.S. Navy Nurse Corps.
Introduced August 5, 2025 by Elise M. Stefanik · Last progress August 5, 2025
Authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal honoring members of the World War II Army and Navy Nurse Corps and directs the Treasury to strike the medal and transfer the gold version to the Smithsonian for display. Allows the U.S. Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicates to cover production costs and treats the medals as national numismatic items under existing law.