,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eiee ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #be1 #bjbj,mr4 ,carson of ,indiana introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to posthumously award a ,congressional gold medal to ,muhammad ,ali1 in recognition of his contributions to the ,nation4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,muhammad ,ali ,congressional ,gold ,medal ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,born ,cassius ,marcellus ,clay1 ,jr41 on ,january #ag1 #aidb1 in ,louisville1 ,kentucky1 ,muhammad ,ali was the first child of ,cassius1 ,sr41 and ,odessa ,clay4 7#b7 ,muhammad ,ali was one of the most celebrated athletes of the #bjth century4 ,he produced some of ,america's greatest sports memories1 from winning a gold medal at the #aifj ,summer ,olympics to lighting the ,olympic torch at the #aiif ,summer ,olympics4 7#c7 ,after an impressive amateur career1 during which he recorded #aca wins and only #g losses and won #b ,national ,,aau light heavyweight titles1 ,muhammad ,ali became the first professional boxer in history to capture the heavyweight title #c separate times4 7#d7 ,muhammad ,ali defeated every challenger he faced in the ring4 ,but1 on ,april #bh1 #aifg1 he was stripped of his boxing title and barred from competing for being a conscientious objector to the war in ,vietnam on religious and moral grounds4 ,however1 following a unanimous ,united ,states ,supreme ,court decision in #aiga1 ,muhammad ,ali's conscientious objector status was confirmed1 his boxing license was reinstated1 and he was cleared of any wrongdoing4 7#e7 ,as an ,african ,american and a ,muslim who lived in an era that continued to question his civil rights1 ,muhammad ,ali battled issues of race and religion1 and received recognition as one of the champions of the ,civil ,rights ,movement in the ,united ,states4 7#f7 ,muhammad ,ali was the recipient of many awards for his sporting prowess and his support of racial harmony1 including the ,dr4 ,martin ,luther ,king ,memorial ,award1 the ,spirit of ,america ,award1 the ,amnesty ,international ,lifetime ,achievement ,award1 the ,arthur ,ashe ,award for ,courage1 the ,essence ,living ,legend ,award1 the ,rainbow ,coalition ,lifetime ,achievement ,award1 the ,,xnba ,human ,spirit ,award1 the ,presidential ,citizens ,medal1 and the ,presidential ,medal of ,freedom4 7#g7 ,muhammad ,ali was acknowledged by many organizations for his achievements both inside and outside the boxing ring1 including being crowned ,sportsman of the ,century by ,sports ,illustrated1 being named ,athlete of the ,century by ,,gq magazine1 being named ,sports ,personality of the ,century by the ,british ,broadcasting ,corporation1 being named ,kentucky ,athlete of the ,century by the ,kentucky ,athletic ,hall of ,fame1 being named ,kentuckian of the ,century by the ,state of ,kentucky1 being named ,louisvillian of the ,century by the ,advertising ,club of ,louisville1 being named ,boxer of the ,century by the ,world ,sports ,awards of the ,century1 being recognized by the ,international ,boxing ,hall of ,fame1 and receiving honorary doctorate degrees from ,muhlenberg ,college and ,western ,kentucky ,university1 as well as an honorary doctorate of humanities at ,princeton ,university's #bfjth graduation ceremony4 7#h7 ,muhammad ,ali received the prestigious ,otto ,hahn ,peace ,medal in ,gold from the ,united ,nations ,association of ,germany for his work with the ,united ,nations and the ,civil ,rights ,movement in the ,united ,states4 7#i7 ,muhammad ,ali was selected by the ,california ,bicentennial ,foundation for the ,u4,s4 ,constitution for personifying the vitality of the ,bill of ,rights in various high-profile activities4 7#aj7 ,despite having been diagnosed with ,parkinson's ,syndrome in the early #aihjs1 ,muhammad ,ali dedicated his life to the cause of universal human rights and freedom4 ,his commitment to equal justice and peace touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide4 7#aa7 ,president ,jimmy ,carter asked ,muhammad ,ali to meet with ,african leaders in ,tanzania1 ,kenya1 ,nigeria1 ,liberia1 and ,senegal as part of ,president ,carter's diplomatic efforts on behalf of human rights in the #aihjs4 7#ab7 ,in #aiij1 ,muhammad ,ali traveled to the ,middle ,east to seek the release of ,american and ,british hostages that were being held as human shields in the first ,gulf ,war4 ,as a result of his intervention1 #ae ,united ,states hostages were freed on ,december #bnd of that year4 7#ac7 ,in #aiih1 ,muhammad ,ali was chosen as the ,u4,n4 ,messenger of ,peace4 7#ad7 ,several ,presidents of the ,united ,states recognized ,muhammad ,ali1 including ,president ,george ,w4 ,bush who1 on ,november #ag1 #bjjb1 called him a man of peace and stated that across the world1 billions of people know ,muhammad ,ali as a brave1 compassionate1 and charming man1 and the ,american people are proud to call ,muhammad ,ali one of our own1 ,president ,bill ,clinton who stated that ,muhammad ,ali captured the world's imagination and its heart4 ,outside the ring1 ,muhammad ,ali has dedicated his life to working for children1 feeding the hungry1 supporting his faith1 and standing up for racial equality4 ,he always fought for a just and more humane world1 breaking down barriers here in ,america and around the world4 ,there is no telling how many tens of millions of people had their hearts swell with pride and their eyes swell with tears in #aiif when ,muhammad ,ali lit the ,olympic torch1 because we know1 now and forever1 he is the greatest1 ,president ,jimmy ,carter who cited ,muhammad ,ali as ,mr4 ,international ,friendship1 and ,president ,barack ,obama who1 as a ,senator1 had a framed picture of ,muhammad ,ali hanging in his office1 and before announcing his intentions to run for ,president1 ,obama visited with ,muhammad ,ali at the ,ali ,center in ,louisville1 ,kentucky4 7#ae7 ,muhammad ,ali encouraged humanity through his perseverance and the support of thousands of people4 ,he helped such organizations as the ,chicago-based adoption agency1 ,the ,cradle2 the ,make-,a-,wish ,foundation2 the ,special ,olympics' organization1 ,best ,buddies2 and ,herbert ,e4 ,birch ,services1 an organization that runs a school for handicapped children and young adults1 in addition to a summer camp for children with ,,aids4 7#af7 ,muhammad ,ali and his wife ,lonnie were the founding directors of the ,muhammad ,ali ,parkinson ,center in ,phoenix1 ,arizona1 and helped raise over #ej1jjj1jjj for ,parkinson's research4 ,the ,center's mission is to provide excellence in treatment1 research1 and education for patients and families affected by ,parkinson's disease and other movement disorders1 regardless of their ability to pay4 7#ag7 ,muhammad ,ali was an inspiration to countless individuals with ,parkinson's disease1 including members of the ,rock ,steady ,boxing ,foundation in ,indianapolis1 ,indiana1 which was founded to give people with ,parkinson's disease hope by improving their quality of life using boxing for fitness4 7#ah7 ,muhammad ,ali was one of the founding members of ,athletes for ,hope1 an organization created by a few very successful athletes of exemplary character who have a deep commitment to charitable and community causes4 7#ai7 ,muhammad ,ali also established the ,muhammad ,ali ,center in his hometown of ,louisville1 ,kentucky1 which promotes respect1 hope1 and understanding1 and inspires people everywhere to be as great as they can be4 ,a visitor of the ,muhammad ,ali ,center experiences the hows of ,ali's life3 ,how he found the courage1 the dedication1 and the discipline to become a world champion2 how he found the conviction to stand up for what he believed2 and how he turned his passion for excellence in the ring to a passion for peace on the world stage4 7#bj7 ,like ,muhammad ,ali himself1 the ,muhammad ,ali ,center focuses on what brings individuals together1 not what sets them apart1 and is a global gathering place to which people can come1 both online and in person1 to learn1 share1 and celebrate our commonalities as human beings and to formulate ways of advancing humanity4 7#ba7 ,muhammad ,ali helped to provide more than #bb1jjj1jjj aid packets to assist people in need1 and until the last years of his life1 he traveled1 on average1 more than #bjj days per year for humanitarian causes4 7#bb7 ,muhammad ,ali1 known simply as the greatest1 transcended the glamour and glory of being a sports champion to become not only one of the greatest sports figures1 but one of the greatest role models of our time4 7#bc7 ,on ,june #c1 #bjaf1 ,muhammad ,ali died at the age of #gd4 #c4 ,congressional gold medal 7a7 ,presentation authorized ,the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation1 on behalf of ,congress1 of a gold medal of appropriate design1 to ,muhammad ,ali1 in recognition of his contributions to the ,nation4 7b7 ,design and striking ,for the purpose of the presentation referred to in subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of the ,treasury 7hereinafter in this ,act referred to as the ,secretary7 shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems1 devices1 and inscriptions to be determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,transfer of medal after presentation ,following the presentation of the gold medal in honor of ,muhammad ,ali under subsection 7a71 the gold medal shall be given to his wife1 ,lonnie ,ali4 #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 pursuant to section #c at a price sufficient to cover the cost of the bronze medals 7including labor1 materials1 dies1 use of machinery1 and overhead expenses7 and the cost of the gold medal4 #e4 ,national medals ,the medals struck under this ,act are national medals for purposes of chapter #ea of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code4