H.R. 1628 — 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act

This section states congressional findings regarding the history, combat service, and achievements of the 761st Tank Battalion (“Black Panthers”)—the first predominantly Black American armored battalion in the European Theater of World War II—including its 183 days of continuous combat; infliction of 130,000 German casualties at a nearly 50% U.S. casualty rate with the loss of 71 tanks; key roles in the Battle of the Bulge, breaking the Siegfried Line, and linking with Soviet forces; receipt of a Presidential Unit Citation in 1978; and individual awards of 1 Medal of Honor, 11 Silver Stars, and approximately 300 Purple Hearts.

This section authorizes the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to present a Congressional Gold Medal of appropriate design, on behalf of Congress, to the 761st Tank Battalion collectively in recognition of their crucial role in the success of Allied forces in Europe and as the first Black soldiers to go to war as part of an American armored unit. The Secretary of the Treasury must strike the medal, which following presentation is given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for display and research, with a sense of Congress that it also be displayed at appropriate locations associated with the battalion.

This section authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of production (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses).

This section designates all medals struck pursuant to this Act as (1) national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code (i.e., medals produced by the United States Mint), and (2) numismatic items for purposes of section 5134 of title 31, United States Code (i.e., qualifying for operations of the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund, a revolving fund that finances Mint production, administration, and sales of numismatic items such as medals).

This section authorizes charges against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund (i.e., the Mint's revolving fund for production of coins and medals) for costs of medals struck under this Act and requires deposit of proceeds from sales of duplicate bronze medals into the fund.