Gold Standards

Over the weekend, more than 8,000 people attended the 30th annual Bataan Memorial Death March in New Mexico. This 26.2-mile trek through desert terrain serves as a remembrance of the approximately 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war who were forced to march through 65 miles of jungle terrain by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Thousands of the captive soldiers did not survive the journey, succumbing to harsh conditions, starvation, disease, and torture by their captors.

The memorial march's schedule of events also included a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, at which eligible Filipino veterans of World War II (or their next-of-kin) received a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded at the original ceremony in 2017. The Congressional Gold Medal is one of several decorations that the United States Congress has awarded over the years (others include silver and bronze medals, as well as ceremonial swords), but is generally considered the highest honor that Congress can bestow.

Congress has used medals to express formal gratitude since the earliest days of America. The tradition dates back to the Continental Congress, when then-General George Washington received the first Congressional Gold Medal for "'wise and spirited conduct' in bringing about the British evacuation of Boston" on March 25, 1776. Over the years, the Congressional Gold Medal was expanded beyond military achievements to distinguished civilian contributions as well.

More information about Congressional Gold Medal history and procedures can be found in the recently-updated Congressional Research Service report Congressional Gold Medals: Background, Legislative Process and Issues for Congress. The Appendix to this CRS report includes a summary of medals awarded since 1776. The report notes that Congressional Gold Medal awards have increased in the modern era, prompting interest in imposing potential limits on the number that may be awarded and specific criteria for eligibility.

In the current Congress, there are more than twenty proposed bills concerning Congressional Gold Medals, including bills that would award medals to Aretha Franklin; Mahatma Gandhi; various groups of WWII soldiers; Fred Korematsu, who famously challenged Japanese-American internment camps all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court; and the African-American female NASA "human computers" whose story was depicted in the acclaimed film Hidden Figures. Only time will tell which of these individuals or groups will be honored with a Congressional Gold Medal. After a Congressional Gold Medal bill becomes law, the process begins to design and strike the unique medal, as well as schedule an award ceremony. The CRS report details the process and includes some sample designs from past awards.

For help with locating bills or statutes concerning Congressional Gold Medals, or with researching other formal decorations under federal law, be sure to Ask a Librarian.