#aag? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 #deb ,,an ,,act ,to aw>d a ,congressional ,gold ,m$al to ,willie ,o',ree1 9 recognition ( 8 extraord9>y contributions & commitm5t to hockey1 inclusion1 & recreational opportunity4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,willie ,o',ree ,congressional ,gold ,m$al ,act4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,willie ,o',ree 0 ! fir/ ,black play] to compete 9 ! ,national ,hockey ,league 7,,nhl71 appe>+ = ! ,bo/on ,bru9s on ,janu>y #ah1 #aieh1 9 ! ?roes ( ! civil rights movem5t 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates help+ to end racial segregation 9 ! premi] pr(essional ice hockey league2 he is widely ref]r$ to z ! ,jackie ,rob9son ( ,hockey4 7#b7 ,willie ,o',ree 0 born ,octob] #ae1 #aice1 9 ,fr$]icton1 ,new ,brunswick1 ,canada2 he is ! y\nge/ ( #ac *ildr5 & a desc5dant ( ,p>is ,o',ree1 ^: "n appe>s 9 ! fam\s hi/orical docum5t ,! ,book ( ,negroes4 7#c7 ,willie ,o',ree 0 rais$ by 8 p>5ts 9 ,fr$]icton1 a pr$om9antly ,:ite t[n :]e hockey 0 deeply root$ )9 ! culture4 ,o',ree 0 a /&\t a?lete on ! ice & ! baseball diamond4 7#d7 ,at age #ba1 ,o',ree 0 be+ sc\t$ by pr(essional baseball teams & s]i\sly consid]$ baseball z a c>e]4 ,^u exp]i5c+ ! segregat$ ,s\? = ! fir/ "t :ile appe>+ = a m9or league try\t1 8 dream *ang$ & 8 att5tion turn$ solely to ice hockey4 7#e7 ,:ile play+ amateur hockey1 ,willie 0 /ruck 9 8 "r eye ) a puck & lo/ 8 eyesight4 ,he 0 told by doctors to ab&on 8 hockey c>e]2 in/ead1 nev] disclos+ ! ext5t ( 8 injury1 he pursu$ 8 dream ( play+ pr(essional hockey4 7#f7 ,at ! age ( #bb1 ,o',ree 0 call$ up f ! ,quebec ,aces ( ! ,quebec ,hockey ,league 7,,qhl7 to play = ! ,,nhl's ,bo/on ,bru9s at a "t :5 only #f teams exi/$ 9 ! league4 ,o',ree 0 unaw>e he _h brok5 ! color b>ri] at ! top level ( ! sport until he read x 9 ! newspap] ! foll[+ day4 7#g7 ,bl9d 9 #a eye & a victim ( racism at times ?r\gh\t 8 c>e]1 ,o',ree p]sev]$ & play$ pr(essional hockey = #bb ye>s1 tally+ ov] #a1jjj po9ts4 7#h7 ,9 #aiif1 #ag ye>s aft] ,o',ree retir$ f pr(essional hockey1 ! ,national ,hockey ,league hir$ ,o',ree z ! fir/-ev] ,div]sity ,ambassador4 ,hav+ already *ang$ ! game =ev] ?r\gh 8 c\rage & convictions1 ,o',ree gives new def9ition to :at x means to be a trailblaz]4 7#i7 ,9 ?is role z ,div]sity ,ambassador ) ! ,,nhl1 ,o',ree set out to gr[ ! sport by provid+ access1 opportunity1 & motivation = *ildr5 ( all races1 e?nicities1 orig9s1 & abilities4 ,) ,o',ree provid+ a vivid example ( :at is possible & s]v+ z a rel5tless support] ( *ildr5 pursu+ _! dreams1 m ?an #cj nonpr(it y\? organizations1 dubb$ ,hockey is = ,ev]yone programs1 7 develop$ across ,nor? ,am]ica1 ea* committ$ to (f]+ m9ority & und]s]v$ *ildr5 an opportunity to play hockey1 lev]ag+ ! sport to build "*1 fo/] positive values1 & develop important life skills4 7#aj7 ,?r\gh ,hockey is = ,ev]yone programs1 m ?an #abj1jjj boys & girls h be5 positively impact$4 ,o',ree has devot$ ne>ly #b1ejj days on ! gr\nd ) ! y\? p>ticipants1 visit+ m ?an #ejj s*ools1 community c5t]s1 & r9ks to speak to hockey's core values & beliefs3 /ay 9 s*ool2 set goals = y\rself2 rema9 committ$ & discipl9$2 & always respect y\r teammates1 coa*es1 & p>5ts4 7#aa7 ,hockey is = ,ev]yone programs h provid$ important opportunities = y\? to p>take 9 physical fitness4 ,today 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 few] ?an half ( ! *ildr5 ages #f-aa engage 9 ! recomm5d$ am\nt ( physical activity1 & t numb] is l[] = l[-income families4 ,o',ree has /ood z a *ampion ( y\? a?letic p>ticipation & its heal? b5efits = decades4 7#ab7 ,hockey is = ,ev]yone programs provide num]\s (f-ice s]vices to y\?3 ,,sat & academic tutor+1 m5tor+1 nutrition education1 college c\nsel+1 community s]vice opportunities1 & m4 ,! program has excell$ at us+ hockey z a vehicle to improve ! social & emotional wellness ( y\? & improve /ud5ts' academic p]=mances bo? 9 prim>y s*ool & beyond4 7#ac7 ,o',ree 0 also nam$ a ,memb] ( ! ,ord] ( ,canada 9 #bjjh &1 9 #bjah1 ! ,city ( ,bo/on releas$ an (ficial ,proclamation recogniz+ ,janu>y #ah1 ! anniv]s>y ( ! day he broke into ! game1 z ,willie ,o',ree ,day4 7#ad7 ,9 ,novemb] #bjah1 #fj ye>s aft] ,o',ree ent]$ ! ,,nhl1 he 0 induct$ into ! ,hockey ,hall ( ,fame 9 ! build] category 9 recognition ( 8 ef=ts to gr[ ! game1 us+ 8 position & ! plat=m ( hockey to improve ! lives ( *ildr5 ?r\gh\t ,nor? ,am]ica4 #c4 ,congressional gold m$al 7a7 ,aw>d au?oriz$ ,! ,speak] ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,presid5t pro tempore ( ! ,s5ate %all make appropriate arrangem5ts = ! aw>d1 on behalf ( ! ,congress1 ( a s+le gold m$al ( appropriate design to ,willie ,o',ree1 or if unavailable1 to a memb] ( 8 family1 9 recognition ( 8 extraord9>y contributions & commitm5t to hockey1 inclusion1 & recreational opportunity4 7b7 ,design & /rik+ ,= ! purposes ( ! aw>d ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y ( ! ,treasury 7h]eaft] 9 ?is ,act ref]r$ to z ! ,secret>y7 %all /rike ! gold m$al ) suitable emblems1 devices1 & inscriptions1 to be det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4 ,! design %all be> an image (1 & an inscription ( ! "n (1 ,willie ,o',ree4 #d4 ,duplicate m$als 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y may /rike & sell duplicates 9 bronze ( ! gold m$al /ruck "u section #c1 at a price suffici5t to cov] ! co/s ( ! m$als1 includ+ labor1 mat]ials1 dies1 use ( ma*9]y1 & ov]head exp5ses4 7b7 ,proce$s ( sales ,! am\nts receiv$ f ! sale ( duplicate m$als "u subsection 7a7 %all be deposit$ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,m9t ,public ,ent]prise ,fund4 7c7 ,au?ority to use fund am\nts ,!re is au?oriz$ to be *>g$ aga9/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,m9t ,public ,ent]prise ,fund su* am\nts z may be necess>y to pay = ! co/s ( ! m$als /ruck "u ?is ,act4 #e4 ,/atus ( m$als 7a7 ,national m$al ,! m$als /ruck pursuant to ?is ,act are national m$als = purposes ( *apt] #ea ( title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 7b7 ,numismatic items ,= purposes ( section #eacd ( title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 all m$als /ruck "u ?is ,act %all be consid]$ to be numismatic items4 ,pass$ ! ,s5ate ,july #bg1 #bjba4,secret>y