,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #efga ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #bd1 #bjbj,mr4 ,garamendi introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to award a ,congressional ,gold ,medal1 collectively1 to the ,united ,states ,merchant ,mariners of ,world ,war ,,ii1 in recognition of their dedicated and vital service during ,world ,war ,,ii4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,merchant ,mariners of ,world ,war ,,ii ,congressional ,gold ,medal ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 #bjbj marked the #geth anniversary of ,allied victory in ,world ,war ,,ii4 7#b7 ,the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine 7in this section referred to as the ,merchant ,marine7 was integral in providing the link between domestic production and the fighting forces overseas1 providing combat equipment1 fuel1 food1 commodities1 and raw materials to troops stationed abroad4 7#c7 ,fleet ,admiral ,ernest ,j4 ,king acknowledged the indispensability of the ,merchant ,marine to the victory in a #aide letter stating that1 without the support of the ,merchant ,marine1 the ,navy could not have accomplished its mission4 7#d7 ,president1 and former ,supreme ,commander of the ,allied ,expeditionary ,forces1 ,dwight ,d4 ,eisenhower acknowledged that through the prompt delivery of supplies and equipment to our armed forces overseas1 and of cargoes representing economic and military aid to friendly nations1 the ,american ,merchant ,marine has effectively helped to strengthen the forces of freedom throughout the world4 7#e7 ,military missions and war planning were contingent upon the availability of resources and the ,merchant ,marine played a vital role in this regard1 ensuring the efficient and reliable transoceanic transport of military equipment and both military and civilian personnel4 7#f7 ,the ,merchant ,marine provided for the successful transport of resources and personnel despite consistent and ongoing exposure to enemy combatants from both the air and the sea1 including from enemy bomber squadrons1 submarines1 and naval mines4 7#g7 ,the efforts of the ,merchant ,marine were not without sacrifices as the ,merchant ,marine likely bore a higher per-capita casualty rate than any of the military branches during the war4 7#h7 ,the ,merchant ,marine proved to be an instrumental asset on an untold number of occasions1 participating in every landing operation by the ,united ,states ,marine ,corps1 from ,guadalcanal to ,okinawa4 7#i7 ,the ,merchant ,marine provided the bulk tonnage of material necessary for the invasion of ,normandy1 an invasion which1 according to a #aidd ,new ,york ,times article1 would not have been possible without the ,merchant ,marine4 7#aj7 ,in assessing the performance of the ,merchant ,marine1 ,general ,eisenhower stated1 every man in this ,allied command is quick to express his admiration for the loyalty1 courage1 and fortitude of the officers and men of the ,merchant ,marine4 ,we count upon their efficiency and their utter devotion to duty as we do our own2 they have never failed us4 7#aa7 ,during a ,september #aidd speech1 ,president ,franklin ,d4 ,roosevelt stated that the ,merchant ,marine had delivered the goods when and where needed in every theater of operations and across every ocean in the biggest1 the most difficult1 and dangerous transportation job ever undertaken4 ,as time goes on1 there will be greater public understanding of our merchant fleet's record during this war4 7#ab7 ,the feats and accomplishments of the ,merchant ,marine are deserving of broader public recognition4 7#ac7 ,the ,united ,states will be forever grateful and indebted to these merchant mariners for their effective1 reliable1 and courageous transport of goods and resources in enemy territory throughout theaters of every variety in ,world ,war ,,ii4 7#ad7 ,the goods and resources transported by the ,merchant ,marine saved thousands of lives and enabled the ,allied ,powers to claim victory in ,world ,war ,,ii4 7#ae7 ,the ,congressional ,gold ,medal would be an appropriate way to shed further light on the service of the merchant mariners in ,world ,war ,,ii and the instrumental role they played in winning that war4 7#af7 ,many students of the ,merchant ,marine ,academy lost their lives as they sailed through enemy-controlled waters or unloaded cargo in overseas combat areas1 and1 as a result1 the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine ,academy is the only institution among the #e ,federal academies to be authorized to carry a battle standard as part of its color guard4 #c4 ,congressional gold medal 7a7 ,award ,authorized ,the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the award1 on behalf of ,congress1 of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the ,united ,states merchant mariners of ,world ,war ,,ii1 in recognition of their dedicated and vital service during ,world ,war ,,ii4 7b7 ,design and ,striking ,for the purposes of the award described in subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of the ,treasury 7in this ,act referred to as the ,secretary7 shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems1 devices1 and inscriptions1 to be determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,american ,merchant ,marine ,museum 7#a7 ,in general ,following the award of the gold medal under subsection 7a71 the gold medal shall be given to the ,american ,merchant ,marine ,museum1 where it will be available for display as appropriate and available for research4 7#b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,american ,merchant ,marine ,museum should make the gold medal given to the ,museum under paragraph 7#a7 available for display elsewhere1 particularly at appropriate locations associated with the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine and that preference should be given to locations affiliated with the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine4 #d4 ,duplicate medals ,under such regulations as the ,secretary may prescribe1 the ,secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under section #c1 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals1 including labor1 materials1 dies1 use of machinery1 and overhead expenses4 #e4 ,status of medals 7a7 ,national medals ,medals struck under this ,act are national medals for purposes of chapter #ea of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,numismatic items ,for purposes of section #eacd of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 all medals struck under this ,act shall be considered to be numismatic items4