Separate legislative bills seeking congressional gold medals, one recognizing a retired professional tennis player for her equal rights for women activism and the other lauding the heroism of Dustoff medical evacuation helicopter crews serving during the Vietnam War to extract casualties from combat zones, awaited the signature of President Joe Biden after passage Sept. 17 in the United States House of Representatives.

If neither is vetoed, the U.S. Mint will be tasked with securing design proposals from its engraving staff and outside designers in the Artistic Infusion Program.

The proposed designs will be considered separately by both the Commission of Fine Arts and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, which will make their recommendations for the Treasury secretary’s final approval.

The Treasury secretary has the authority to direct the Mint to strike 1.5-inch and 3-inch Matte Finish bronze duplicates of gold medals.

The Mint currently offers 1.5-inch bronze duplicates of various previously awarded gold medals priced at $20, while 3-inch duplicate medals are priced at $160.

King legislation

The Billie Jean King Congressional Gold Medal Act, S.2861, was introduced in the U.S. Senate Sept. 20, 2023, by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, and passed in the chamber on May 9, 2024.

It was received in the House on May 10, 2024, and passed in the early evening hours of Sept. 17 after nearly an hour of debate.

Having established her celebrity within the ranks of professional tennis, King used the platform to fight for equal rights and opportunities for all in sports and in society within the United States.

In 1973, King founded the Women’s Tennis Association, which serves today as the principal governing body for women’s professional tennis.

King was recognized in 2009 by President Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for her unrelenting advocacy for women’s rights.

Dustoff crews

S.2825, the Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act, was introduced in the Senate by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas on Sept. 14, 2023. The Senate passed the legislation on May 9, 2024, and it moved to the House for consideration.

The afternoon of Sept. 17, the House debated the merits of the bill for nearly an hour before final passage.

According to the text of S.2825, “during the Vietnam War, with the use of helicopter air ambulances, United States Army Dustoff crews pioneered the concept of dedicated and rapid medical evacuation, and transported almost 900,000 United States, South Vietnamese, and other allied sick and wounded, as well as wounded enemy forces.”

The perilous extractions often meant the different between life and death for the injured military personnel. According to the legislation, “the 54th Medical Detachment typified the constant heroism displayed by Dustoff crews in Vietnam, over the span of a 10-month tour, with only 3 flyable helicopters and 40 soldiers in the unit, evacuating 21,435 patients in 8,644 missions while being airborne for 4,832 hours.”

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