President Biden signed into law Dec. 16 legislation authorizing presentation of a congressional gold medal posthumously honoring 13 American military service personnel who died Aug. 26 during the evacuation of American citizens and Afghan allies at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Public Law 117-72 was introduced Aug. 31 in the House as H.R. 5142 by Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Michigan.

The House passed the legislation on Oct. 25 and the Senate on Nov. 17 before forwarding it to the president on Dec. 7.

Public Law 117-72 allows Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to direct the Mint to strike 1.5-inch and 3-inch bronze duplicates of the gold medal after it is formally presented by the congressional leadership.

The gold medal is to be presented to the Smithsonian Institution.

Once available, the 1.5-inch bronze medals will be offered for $20 and the 3-inch bronze versions for $160.

Maxton Soviak, Kareem Nikoui, David Espinoza, Rylee McCollum, Jared Schmitz, Hunter Lopez, Taylor Hoover, Daegan William-Tyeler Page, Nicole Gee, Humberto Sanchez, Dylan Merola, Johanny Rosario Pichardo, and Ryan Knauss are identified as the 13 service members who died from the blast at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The explosion at the airport was confirmed to be a suicide bombing by the ISIS–K terrorist group.

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