Bill Summary
This legislation, known as the "Hmong Congressional Gold Medal Act," aims to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Hmong people in recognition of their extraordinary service during the Vietnam War and their efforts in fighting against communism. The bill outlines the findings of Congress, including the recruitment and training of over 30,000 Hmong soldiers by the CIA, their heavy casualties and displacement as a result of the war, and their resettlement in the United States. The bill authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a gold medal and for the Secretary of the Treasury to strike the medal with suitable designs. The gold medal will then be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research purposes, and duplicates in bronze may be struck and sold by the Secretary. These medals will hold national status and be considered numismatic items. Overall, this legislation aims to honor and recognize the sacrifices and contributions of the Hmong people during the Vietnam War and their fight against communism.
Possible Impacts
1. The Hmong people may feel recognized and honored by the government for their service and sacrifice in the Vietnam war, leading to a sense of pride and validation.
2. The Hmong people may have increased access to resources and support from the government, such as healthcare and education, as a result of the recognition and acknowledgment of their contributions.
3. The Hmong people may face backlash or discrimination from individuals or groups who do not support the legislation or the recognition of their service in the Vietnam war.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3271 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3271
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Hmong people, in recognition
of their highly distinguished service in the Vietnam war and the fight
against communism.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 9, 2023
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Tillis, and Ms.
Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Hmong people, in recognition
of their highly distinguished service in the Vietnam war and the fight
against communism.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Hmong Congressional Gold Medal
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) As the Vietnam war spread south and west into Laos, the
Central Intelligence Agency recruited and trained Hmong
tribesmen to fight back against the communist North Vietnamese
and Pathet Lao.
(2) Over 30,000 Hmong men fought the ground war, flew
combat missions, gathered intelligence on North Vietnamese
troop movements, interrupted the Ho-Chi-Min Supply Trail, and
rescued American pilots downed behind enemy lines.
(3) The Hmong people suffered heavy casualties, and their
soldiers died at a rate ten times as high as that of American
soldiers in Vietnam.
(4) Following the Vietnam war, many Hmong were displaced
from their villages as they were either bombed or burned down
by the North Vietnamese and over 150,000 Hmong fled Laos when
the nation fell to communist forces on May 14, 1975.
(5) Due to their ties to the American military, many Hmong
who fled Laos came to the United States as refugees to start a
new life.
(6) Currently, there are over 327,000 Hmong living in the
United States.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate
arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of
appropriate design to the Hmong people, in recognition of their highly
distinguished service in the Vietnam war and the fight against
communism.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the award referred to in
subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act
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 elsewhere,
particularly at other appropriate locations associated with the
service of the Hmong people in the Vietnam war, and that
preference should be given to locations affiliated with the
Smithsonian Institution.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs
of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this Act are
national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States
Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of title 31,
United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
<all>