,i  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bjei  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,april #bh1 #bjae ,mr4
 ,connolly 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,mead[s1    
,mr4 ,c>twright1 ,mr4 ,gos>1 ,ms4 ,kelly
 ( ,ill9ois1 ,mr4 ,cumm+s1 ,mr4 ,lyn*1  
,mr4 ,wittman1 ,ms4 ,mi*elle ,lujan     
,gri%am ( ,new ,mexico1 ,mr4 ,hurt (    
,virg9ia1 ,ms4 ,duckwor?1 ,mr4 ,wel*1   
,mr4 ,br5dan ,f4 ,boyle ( ,p5nsylvania1 
,mr4 ,v>gas1 ,mr4 ,cleav]1 ,mr4 ,*abot1 
,mr4 ,israel1 ,mr4 ,cr[ley1 ,mr4 ,k9d1  
,ms4 ,hahn1 ,mr4 ,k5n$y1 ,mrs4 ,watson  
,coleman1 ,mr4 ,coop]1 ,mr4 ,t$ ,lieu ( 
,cali=nia1 ,mr4 ,g[dy1 ,mrs4 ,lawr5ce1  
,mr4 ,de,saulnier1 ,mr4 ,c>t] (         
,georgia1 ,mrs4 ,c>olyn ,b4 ,maloney (  
,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,deut*1 ,mr4 ,cicill9e1
 ,mr4 ,l[5?al1 ,mr4 ,b]a1 ,ms4 ,gabb>d1 
,mr4 ,meeks1 ,mr4 ,royce1 ,mr4 ,engel1  
,mr4 ,yoho1 ,mr4 ,p]ry1 ,ms4 ,frankel ( 
,florida1 ,mr4 ,himes1 ,mr4 ,fo/]1 ,mrs4
 ,davis ( ,cali=nia1 ,ms4 ,s9ema1 ,mr4  
,upton1 ,mr4 ,pi]luisi1 ,mrs4           
,kirkpatrick1 ,mr4 ,ca/ro ( ,texas1 ,ms4

 ,e/y1 ,mr4 ,aguil>1 ,mrs4 ,capps1 ,mr4 
,pet]s1 ,ms4 ,sewell ( ,alabama1 ,ms4   
,del,bene1 ,mr4 ,c\rtney1 ,mr4 ,heck (  
,wa%+ton1 ,mr4 ,huffman1 ,mr4 ,a%=d1    
,mr4 ,bec]ra1 ,mr4 ,s*rad]1 ,mr4 ,sires1
 ,ms4 ,graham1 ,ms4 ,slaught]1 ,mr4     
,c>ney1 ,mr4 ,turn]1 ,mrs4 ,bu/os1 ,mr4 
,g>am5di1 ,mr4 ,hanna1 ,mr4 ,loebsack1  
,mr4 ,walb]g1 ,ms4 ,tsongas1 ,mr4 ,smi? 
( ,nebraska1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 ,mr4          
,rohraba*]1 ,mr4 ,hoy]1 ,mr4 ,r5acci1   
,ms4 ,kaptur1 ,mr4 ,=bes1 ,mr4 ,payne1  
,mr4 ,rooney ( ,florida1 ,ms4 ,cl>ke (  
,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,mc,caul1 ,mr4 ,co/a1  
,mr4 ,kilm]1 ,mr4 ,quigley1 ,ms4 ,p+ree1
 ,mr4 ,rog]s ( ,alabama1 ,mr4 ,sam      
,johnson ( ,texas1 ,mr4 ,hurd ( ,texas1 
,mr4 ,price ( ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 ,mr4 ,bey]1
 ,mr4 ,scott ( ,virg9ia1 & ,mrs4        
,com/ock7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0
 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,f9ancial    
,s]vices  ,a ,,bill  ,to aw>d a         
,congressional ,gold ,m$al to ,edw9     
,cole ,ed ,be>ss1 9 recognition ( 8     
contributions to pres]vation ( ,am]ican 

,civil ,w> hi/ory & cont9u$ ef=ts to br+
 our nation's hi/ory alive = new        
g5]ations ?r\gh 8 int]pretive /orytell+4
  #a4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3   
7#a7 ,edw9 ,cole ,ed ,be>ss 0 born ,june
 #bf1 #aibc1 9 ,bill+s1 ,montana1 to    
,om> & ,virg9ia ,be>ss4  7#b7 ,dur+ a   
#dj-ye> c>e] ) ! ,national ,p>k ,s]vice1
 ,mr4 ,be>ss di/+ui%$ himself z "o (    
,am]ica's preem95t hi/orians1 p>ticul>ly
 9 ! field ( ! ,civil ,w>1 n only ?r\gh 
8 "w to pres]ve ! places 9 :i* our      
nation's hi/ory 0 =g$ b also ?r\gh 8    
captivat+ int]pretive /orytell+ ab\t ! p
 & ev5ts t %ap$ ^? places4  7#c7 ,8 own 
family traces its g5ealogy to ! ,mayfl[]
 on 8 "m's side & to #afcf on 8 fa!r's  
side4  7#d7 ,mr4 ,be>ss' lifelong love  
affair ) ! ,civil ,w> 0 k9dl$ dur+ 8 y\?
 :5 he read a biography ( ,conf$]ate    
cavalry comm&] ,j4,e4,b4 ,/u>t4 ,ev5 at 
an e>ly age1 ,mr4 ,be>ss demon/rat$ a   
knack = committ+ facts to memory1 a     
skill t help$ him w9 s*ool conte/s 9    
hi/ory1 curr5t ev5ts1 & geography4  7#e7

 ,he graduat$ high s*ool 9 ,may #aida & 
! foll[+ ye> jo9$ ! ,u4,s4 ,m>9e ,corps1
 s]v+ ) ! #crd ,m>9e ,raid] ,battalion  
dur+ ! invasion ( ,guadalcanal & !      
,russell ,isl&s4 ,he 0 badly w\nd$ 9    
gunfire at ,suicide ,creek1 ,cape       
,gl\ce/]1 ,new ,brita91 :ile s]v+ ) !   
#g? ,regim5t1 #a/ ,m>9e ,division4  7#f7
 ,^u return+ home1 ,mr4 ,be>ss att5d$   
,georget[n ,univ]sity1 obta9+ a         
ba*elor's degree 9 ,=eign ,s]vice       
/udies1 & lat] att5d$ ,indiana          
,univ]sity1 e>n+ a ma/]'s degree 9      
hi/ory4  7#g7 ,x 0 dur+ a =tuit\s visit 
to ! ,%iloh ,national ,milit>y ,p>k 9   
,t5nessee1 on a t\r ) ! p>k hi/orian1   
:]e ! se$s 7 plant$ = ,mr4 ,be>ss'      
future c>e] ) ! ,national ,p>k ,s]vice4 
7#h7 ,9 #aiee1 he l&$ a job z p>k       
hi/orian at ! ,national ,battlefield    
,p>k 9 ,vicksburg1 ,mississippi1 :]e 8  
rese>* help$ fill 9 miss+ pieces (      
,civil ,w> hi/ory4 ,none 7 m significant
 ?an ! discov]y ( ! ,u4,s4,s4 ,cairo1 a 
long-lo/ ,union ironclad gunboat sunk by

 ,conf$]ate subm>9e torp$oes 9 #ahfb t 0
 buri$ 9 ! mud ( ! ,yazoo ,riv]4 ,mr4   
,be>ss lat] au?or$ a book on ! s9k+ &   
salvage ( ! ironclad4  7#i7 ,x 0 dur+ 8 
t5ure at ,%iloh t he met 8 wife1 ,m>gie1
 a tea*] :o %>$ ,mr4 ,be>ss' love (     
hi/ory4 ,!y _h ?ree *ildr51 ,s>a1 ,cole1
 & ,j5ny4  7#aj7 ,mr4 ,be>ss became !   
,national ,p>k ,s]vice's *ief hi/orian 9
 #aiha4 ,foll[+ 8 retirem5t 9 #aiid1 he 
0 recogniz$ ) ! title ,*ief ,hi/orian   
,em]itus1 a fitt+ title z 8 rese>* &    
rec\nt+ ( our nation's hi/ory cont9ues  
to ?is day4  7#aa7 ,he /ill travels     
?r\gh\t ! ye> to our nation's ,civil ,w>
 battlefields4 ,he once said1 ,y c't    
describe a battlefield unless y walk x44
 ,anyone :o has sp5t "t ) ,mr4 ,be>ss   
t\r+ a battlefield1 sometimes brav+ !   
elem5ts1 en?rall$ by 8 prodigi\s tales  
reg>ds him z a ,national ,treasure4 ,8  
unique *ronicl+ ( our nation's hi/ory   
has be5 describ$ z a transc5d5tal       
exp]i5ce ( ,hom]ic monologues punctuat$ 
by colorful1 vivid images4 ,mr4 ,be>ss  

himself has be5 describ$ z a cross      
betwe5 a good-natur$ platoon s]geant &  
,walt] ,cronkite4 ,he lectures ) 8 eye  
clos$1 s he c see ! hi/ory bett]1 he    
once said4  7#ab7 ,mr4 ,be>ss has       
receiv$ multiple honors = 8             
contributions to ! pres]vation ( our    
nation's hi/ory3 ! ,h>ry ,s4 ,truman    
,aw>d 9 #aifa = ,m]itori\s ,s]vice 9 !  
field ( ,civil ,w> hi/ory1 ,man ( ! ,ye>
 at ,vicksburg 9 #aifc1 induct$ a memb] 
( ! ,company ( ,milit>y ,hi/orians 9    
#aifd1 ! ,nev9s-,freeman ,aw>d f !      
,*icago ,civil ,w> ,r\ndtable 9 #aihj1 !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,int]ior's ,di/+ui%$     
,s]vice ,aw>d 9 #aihc1 & a comm5dation f
 ! ,secret>y ( ! ,army 9 #aihe4 ,!      
,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior at ! "t1 ,james  
,watt1 call$ ,mr4 ,be>ss unque/ionably !
 mo/ productive hi/orian 9 ! hi/ory ( ! 
,national ,p>k ,s]vice4  7#ac7 ,to ?is  
day1 ,mr4 ,be>ss cont9ues to t\r !      
c\ntry visit+ battlefields & ,civil ,w> 
organizations1 keep+ ,am]ica's hi/ory   
fre% 9 ! m9ds ( future g5]ations4  #b4  

,congressional gold m$al  7a7           
,pres5tation au?oriz$ ,! ,speak] ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,presid5t   
pro tempore ( ! ,s5ate %all make        
appropriate arrangem5ts = ! pres5tation1
 on behalf ( ! ,congress1 ( a gold m$al 
( appropriate design to ,edw9 ,cole ,ed 
,be>ss1 9 recognition ( 8 contributions 
to pres]vation ( ,am]ican ,civil ,w>    
hi/ory & cont9u$ ef=ts to br+ our       
nation's hi/ory alive = new g5]ations   
?r\gh 8 int]pretive /orytell+4  7b7     
,design & /rik+ ,= purposes ( !         
pres5tation ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7a71 
! ,secret>y ( ! ,treasury 7h]eaft] 9 ?is
 ,act ref]r$ to z ! ,secret>y7 %all     
/rike a gold m$al ) suitable emblems1   
devices1 & inscriptions1 to be det]m9$  
by ! ,secret>y4  #c4 ,duplicate m$als ,!
 ,secret>y may /rike & sell duplicates 9
 bronze ( ! gold m$al /ruck pursuant to 
section #b "u su* regulations z !       
,secret>y may prescribe1 at a price     
suffici5t to cov] ! co/ !re(1 includ+   
labor1 mat]ials1 dies1 use ( ma*9]y1 &  

ov]head exp5ses1 & ! co/ ( ! gold m$al4 
#d4 ,/atus ( m$als ,! m$als /ruck       
pursuant to ?is ,act are national m$als 
= purposes ( *apt] #ea ( title #ca1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4