,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #gche  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,june #bf1 #bjbj,mr4  
,connolly 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 ,mr4   
,be>ss' lifelong passion = ,civil ,w>   

hi/ory 0 k9dl$ dur+ 8 y\?4 ,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#d7 ,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#e7
 ,^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#f7 ,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#g7 ,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 ( ! ,,uss ,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#h7 ,x 0 dur+ 8 
t5ure at ,vicksburg 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#i7 ,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#aj7 ,:5ev]      
possible1 he travels to our ,nation's   
,civil ,w> battlefields1 help+ to       
pres]ve ! places :]e hi/ory happ5$ &    
make ^? places come alive z a public    
hi/orian4 ,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$1 s he c see ! hi/ory bett]1 he    
once said4  7#aa7 ,mr4 ,be>ss has       
receiv$ 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#ab7 ,mr4     
,be>ss cont9u$ to t\r ! c\ntry well into
 8 lat] ye>s1 visit+ battlefields &     
,civil ,w> organizations1 to 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