HR2668-118

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the US Rescue and Aid Individuals of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023.

2. Findings Congress finds the following: Between 1933 and 1945, United States rescue and relief organizations were responsible for saving many thousands of Jews and other refugees during the Holocaust. American groups sponsored, financed, and organized numerous rescue and relief efforts in Nazi-occupied and neutral Europe. These organizations operated in every country in Europe. There were hundreds of American citizens involved in this effort. The Jewish refugees and others who were saved from almost certain death immigrated to the United States, Israel, and other parts of the world. Refugee agencies worked in the face of opposition to the resettling of Jewish refugees. In 1939, Congress rejected proposals to offer asylum to 20,000 Jewish children. In the same year, the United States refused asylum to Jewish refugees aboard the S.S. ST. LOUIS, who were forced to return to Europe, and 254 of whom died in the Holocaust. In addition, public opinion in America was largely against aiding refugees, especially through immigration. The rescue of Jews and other refugees was, in some cases, extremely dangerous, especially when conducted in Nazi-occupied territories or in collaborator nations. A number of rescuers were arrested, imprisoned, and some were killed. Many of these individuals and agencies aided in the relief and resettlement of Jewish refugees and others after the war. Among the most prominent was the War Refugee Board, which was responsible for saving the lives of 200,000 Jews and 20,000 non-Jews. A number of these organizations to be honored are still in existence and are continuing efforts to help refugees throughout the world. The individuals being honored include any individual who participated in the rescue or relief of Jews or other refugees who were in danger as a result of the Nazi genocidal policy against Jews and others in Europe, from 1933 to 1945.

3. Congressional gold medal 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 single gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of the American individuals that were active in aiding and rescuing Jews and other refugees during the period of Nazi Germany’s genocidal Final Solution policy to murder every Jew in Europe, in recognition of their contributions, which resulted in tens of thousands of Jews and others being spared from almost certain death. For the purposes of the award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the Secretary) shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. Following the award of the gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where it shall be available for display as appropriate and made available for research. It is the sense of Congress that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum should make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate locations associated with commemoration of the Holocaust.

4. Duplicate medals The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.

5. Status of medals The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

6. Authority to use fund amounts; proceeds of sale There is authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck pursuant to this Act. The amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.