[118th Congress Public Law 149]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 1677]]
FORGOTTEN HEROES OF THE HOLOCAUST CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
[[Page 138 STAT. 1678]]
Public Law 118-149
118th Congress
An Act
To award a Congressional Gold Medal collectively to 60 diplomats, in
recognition of their bravery and heroism during the
Holocaust. <<NOTE: Dec. 12, 2024 - [S. 91]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Forgotten Heroes
of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act. 31 USC 5111 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The following diplomats will be honored posthumously:
Per Anger (Sweden), Jose Maria Barreto Bustios (Peru), Lars Berg
(Sweden), Philippe Bernardini (Vatican/Italy), Hiram (Harry)
Bingham IV (United States), Friedrich Born (Switzerland),
Gilberto Bosques Saldivar (Mexico), Carlos de Liz-Texeira
Branquinho (Portugal), Samuel del Campo (Chile), Aracy de
Carvalho Guimaraes Rosa (Brazil), Jose Arturo Castellanos
Contreras (El Salvador), Carl Ivan Danielsson (Sweden), Luis
Martins de Souza Dantas (Brazil), Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz
(Germany), Harald Feller (Switzerland), Francis (Frank) Foley
(United Kingdom), Jean-Edouard Friedrich (Switzerland), Carlos
Almeida Afonseca de Sampaio Garrido (Portugal), Raymond Herman
Geist (United States), Feng-Shan Ho (Republic of China),
Constantin Karadja (Romania), Alexander Kasser (Sandor Kasza)
(Sweden), Elow Kihlgren (Sweden), Joseph Willem (Joop) Kolkman
(Netherlands), Julius Kuhl (Poland), Aleksander 4ados (Poland),
Valdemar Langlet (Sweden), Charles (Carl) Lutz (Switzerland),
George Mandel-Mantello (El Salvador), Florian Manoliu (Romania),
Manuel Antonio Munoz Borrero (Ecuador), Salomon Jacob (Sally)
Noach (Netherlands), Giorgio (Jorge) Perlasca (Spain/Italy),
Ernst Prodolliet (Switzerland), Eduardo Propper de Callejon
(Spain), Franjo Puncuch (Yugoslavia/Slovenia), Konstanty Rokicki
(Poland), Sebastian de Romero Radigales (Spain), Angelo Giuseppe
Roncalli (Vatican/Italy), Angelo Rotta (Vatican/Italy), Albert
Emile Routier (Turkey/France), Jose Ruiz Santaella (Spain),
Stefan Ryniewicz (Poland), Angel Sanz-Briz (Spain), Abdol-
Hossein Sardari (Iran), Henryk Slawik (Poland), Robert
Smallbones (United Kingdom), Aristides de Sousa Mendes
(Portugal), Jan Spisiak (Slovakia), Chiune (Sempo) Sugihara
(Japan), Ireanaeus Typaldos (Spain), Alexander (Sandor) Ujvary
(Vatican/Hungary), Selahattin Ulkumen (Turkey), Gennaro Verolino
(Vatican/Italy), Vladimir Vochoc (Czech Republic), Ernst Vonrufs
[[Page 138 STAT. 1679]]
(Switzerland), Raoul Wallenberg (Sweden), Guelfo Zamboni
(Italy), Peter Zurcher (Switzerland), and Jan Zwartendijk
(Netherlands).
(2) On September 1, 1939, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis began
their invasion of Europe, which started World War II and threw
the world into chaos. The Nazi plan of mass murder of the Jewish
population was in full motion. As battles were being fought
between countries, Jews were being rounded up and sent to
concentration camps throughout Europe. This process began a mass
exodus of people out of Europe, especially those in the Jewish
community.
(3) During the war, members of the Jewish community used
every tool and means at their disposal to flee Nazi tyranny.
Thousands tried to flee on trains or boats to escape from
Europe.
(4) While the armies of countries were fighting each other,
a handful of diplomats, from around the world, stepped forward
and took heroic actions to save Jews fleeing Europe. This was an
incredibly dangerous process. If the Nazis discovered the
actions of these diplomats they would be expelled, as a few of
them were. Also, while worrying about the Nazis, diplomats had
to worry about their careers and livelihoods back home. Many of
them had strict orders from their home countries to not aid the
Jewish population in any way.
(5) These diplomats used every means at their disposal to
help Jews fleeing persecution. One of the most powerful tools
the diplomats had to use was the issuing of passports and travel
visas contrary to the instruction of the governments of the
diplomats. This process alone is responsible for saving hundreds
of thousands of Jewish families in Europe. This was not the only
tool used as many of the diplomats were connected with the local
populations and were great communicators for Jews trying to
travel underground. They were able set up safehouses and
getaways to hide Jews and especially Jewish children from Nazi
authorities. In the most dangerous of times, several of these
diplomats confronted the Nazis directly on behalf of the Jews
and personally put themselves in grave danger.
(6) Every diplomat knew the dangers and knew what they were
up against, and still pushed forward to save those in the most
danger.
(7) The Congressional Gold Medal authorized under this Act
will help remind humanity that when the diplomats were faced
with terrible crises, they went beyond the fold, including
risking their careers and the lives of themselves and their
families, to engage in this humanitarian mission. The diplomats
of today and future generations can look towards these heroes
and be inspired by their lives of heroism and sacrifice.
(8) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as stating or
implying that this group of honorees encompasses everyone who
took this type of heroic action during this era. As the title
attests, the ``Forgotten Heroes'' performed these deeds out of
righteousness, with no expectation of public acclaim. The
sponsors of this Act wish to honor this group of individuals for
whose deeds the historical record is currently definitive and
well-documented. Given that historical research is ongoing,
[[Page 138 STAT. 1680]]
in the event that robust documentation from professional
historians, expert stakeholders, and public input identify
others worthy of official recognition, future Congresses retain
the right to recognize additional forgotten heroes of the
Holocaust pursuant to future legislation.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of
a single gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the 60 diplomats
identified in section 2(1), in recognition of their brave and vital
service of saving Jews during World War II.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred
to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a single gold medal with suitable
emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
(c) Presentation of Medal.--The single gold medal presented under
subsection (a) shall be presented collectively to the eldest next of kin
of each of the 60 diplomats identified in section 2(1), who shall
receive the medal as part of a delegation consisting of a senior
official representative of the country that each diplomat served and the
cochairs of the Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Committee.
(d) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal in
honor of the 60 diplomats identified in section 2(1), the gold
medal shall be given to the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum, where it will be available for display as appropriate
and available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum should make the gold
medal awarded pursuant to this Act available for display
elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations associated with
Holocaust remembrance.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs
thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medal.--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
under this Act.
[[Page 138 STAT. 1681]]
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Approved December 12, 2024.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 91 (H.R. 537):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
Sept. 24, considered and passed Senate.
Sept. 25, Senate, notwithstanding passage, agreed to
amendment
No. 3299.
Dec. 4, considered and passed House.
<all>