Bill Summary
This legislation, called the "Mahatma Gandhi Congressional Gold Medal Act," proposes to posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to Mahatma Gandhi in recognition of his contributions to the United States and the world through his promotion of nonviolence. The bill outlines the findings of Congress, acknowledging Gandhi's significant impact on the world through his leadership in India's independence from British rule, as well as his inspiration of nonviolent movements around the world. The bill authorizes the Speaker of the House and the Senate President pro tempore to make arrangements for the presentation of the gold medal to Gandhi, and requires the Secretary of Treasury to strike a gold medal with suitable emblems and inscriptions. The gold medal would then be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research, with the understanding that it may also be displayed at other locations associated with Gandhi. The bill also allows for the striking and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal, and designates the medals as national medals for purposes of federal code.
Possible Impacts
1. This bill could affect the family members and descendants of Mahatma Gandhi by recognizing and honoring his contributions to the nation, even after his death.
2. The bill could also affect the international community by promoting awareness and understanding of Gandhi's principles of non-violence, satyagraha, and swaraj, and their relevance in today's world.
3. The Smithsonian Institution and other locations associated with Gandhi may also be affected by displaying the gold medal and raising awareness of his legacy.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1127 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1127
To posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to Mahatma Gandhi in
recognition of his contributions to the Nation by the promotion of
nonviolence.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 8, 2019
Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Holding, Ms.
Gabbard, Mr. Bera, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Jayapal, and Mr. Khanna)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House
Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to Mahatma Gandhi in
recognition of his contributions to the Nation by the promotion of
nonviolence.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Few people have had as significant and as positive an
impact on the world and freedom than Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi.
(2) Gandhi led the Indian people to independence from
British rule in August 1947 through non-violent means, staging
massive peaceful demonstrations against poverty while
supporting women's rights and religious tolerance.
(3) Gandhi's legacy has inspired hundreds of millions of
people around the world to pursue non-violence as a means to
achieve freedom and equality, including Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s movement to end racial injustice in the United States and
Nelson Mandela's fight to end apartheid in South Africa.
(4) For his efforts, Gandhi was given the title of Mahatma,
or ``Great Soul'' and was often called Bapu in India, which
means ``father''.
(5) Over 2,000,000 people attended Gandhi's funeral and his
memory and teachings persist still today.
(6) October 2, Gandhi's birthday, was declared as
International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations to,
``disseminate the message of non-violence, including through
education and public awareness'' and reaffirm ``the universal
relevance of the principle of non-violence'' and desire ``to
secure a culture of peace, tolerance, and understanding through
non-violence''.
(7) Ensuring that people around the globe know about,
understand, and adopt Gandhi's principles of ahimsa (non-
violence), satyagraha (appeal to, insistence on, or reliance on
the Truth) and swaraj (self-rule) are more important than ever.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress,
of a gold medal of appropriate design, to Mahatma Gandhi, in
recognition of his contributions to the Nation by the promotion of
nonviolence.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the presentation
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike
a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal
under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the
Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for
display as appropriate and made available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal received
under paragraph (1) available for display at other locations,
particularly such locations as are associated with Mahatma
Gandhi.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the
Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal
struck pursuant to section 2 at a price sufficient to cover the cost of
the bronze medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery,
and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
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