American Rescuers of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4868 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4868

  To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to people of the 
  United States who were active in rescuing and aiding 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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 23, 2026

  Mr. Schiff 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, collectively, to people of the 
  United States who were active in rescuing and aiding 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.

    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 ``American Rescuers of the Holocaust 
Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Between 1933 and 1945, United States rescue and relief 
        organizations were responsible for saving many thousands of 
        Jews and other refugees during the Holocaust. United States 
        groups sponsored, financed, and organized numerous rescue and 
        relief efforts in Nazi-occupied and neutral Europe.
            (2) These organizations operated in every country in 
        Europe. There were hundreds of United States citizens involved 
        in this effort.
            (3) The Jewish refugees and others who were saved from 
        almost certain death immigrated to the United States, Israel, 
        and other parts of the world.
            (4) 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.
            (5) In addition, public opinion in the United States was 
        largely against aiding refugees, especially through 
        immigration.
            (6) 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.
            (7) Many of these individuals and agencies aided in the 
        relief and resettlement of Jewish refugees and others after the 
        war.
            (8) 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.
            (9) A number of these organizations to be honored are still 
        in existence and are continuing efforts to help refugees 
        throughout the world.
            (10) The individuals being honored include any person of 
        the United States 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.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Award Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the Senate and 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make appropriate 
arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold 
medal of appropriate design in commemoration of the people of the 
United States who were active in rescuing and aiding 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.
    (b) Design and Striking.--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.
    (c) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.--
            (1) In general.--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 and research in accordance with the 
        Museum's policies regarding materials in the Museum's care.
            (2) Sense of congress.--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, in accordance with the policies of the Museum 
        regarding materials in the care of the Museum, at other 
        appropriate locations, including those associated with 
        commemoration of the Holocaust and other relevant entities, 
        that may make such a request.

SEC. 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.

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 sections 5134 and 5136 of 
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

    (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--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.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--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.
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