Home > 105th Congressional Bills > H.R. 1094 (ih) To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make improvements in the regulation of drugs. ...H.R. 1094 (ih) To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make improvements in the regulation of drugs. ...
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1093
To authorize the presentation of gold medals on behalf of Congress to
Native Americans who served as Code Talkers during foreign conflicts in
which the United States was involved during the 20th Century in
recognition of their service to the Nation.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 5, 2003
Ms. Granger introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the presentation of gold medals on behalf of Congress to
Native Americans who served as Code Talkers during foreign conflicts in
which the United States was involved during the 20th Century in
recognition of their service to the Nation.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Code Talkers Recognition Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPRESSION OF RECOGNITION.
The purpose of the medals authorized by this Act are to express
recognition by the United States and its citizens and to honor the
Native American Code Talkers who distinguished themselves in performing
highly successful communications operations of a unique type that
greatly assisted in saving countless lives and in hastening the end of
World War I and World War II.
TITLE I--SIOUX CODE TALKERS
SEC. 101. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Sioux Indians used their native languages, Dakota,
Lakota, and Nakota Sioux, as code during World War II.
(2) These people, who manned radio communications networks
to advise of enemy actions, became known as the Sioux Code
Talkers.
(3) Under some of the heaviest combat action, the Code
Talkers worked around the clock to provide information which
saved the lives of many Americans in the Pacific and Europe,
such as the location of enemy troops and the number of enemy
guns.
(4) The Sioux Code Talkers were so successful that military
commanders credit the code with saving the lives of countless
American soldiers and being instrumental to the success of the
United States in many battles during World War II.
SEC. 102. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro
Tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the
presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate
design, to each Sioux Code Talker, including the following:
(1) Eddie Eagle Boy.
(2) Simon Brokenleg.
(3) Iver Crow Eagle, Sr.
(4) Edmund St. John.
(5) Walter C. John.
(6) John Bear King.
(7) Phillip ``Stoney'' LaBlanc.
(8) Baptiste Pumpkinseed.
(9) Guy Rondell.
(10) Charles Whitepipe.
(11) Clarence Wolfguts.
TITLE II--COMANCHE CODE TALKERS
SEC. 201. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Empire attacked Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, and the Congress declared war the following
day.
(2) The military code, developed by the United States for
transmitting messages, had been deciphered by the Axis powers,
and United States military intelligence sought to develop a new
means to counter the enemy.
(3) The United States Government called upon the Comanche
Nation to support the military effort by recruiting and
enlisting Comanche men to serve in the United States Army to
develop a secret code based on the Comanche language.
(4) At the time, the Comanches were second-class citizens,
and they were a people who were discouraged from using their
own language.
(5) The Comanches of the 4th Signal Division became known
as the ``Comanche Code Talkers'' and helped to develop a code
using their language to communicate military messages during
the D-Day invasion and in the European theater during World War
II.
(6) To the enemy's frustration, the code developed by these
Native American Indians proved to be unbreakable and was used
extensively throughout the European theater.
(7) The Comanche language, discouraged in the past, was
instrumental in developing one of the most significant and
successful military codes of World War II.
(8) The Comanche Code Talkers contributed greatly to the
Allied war effort in Europe and were instrumental in winning
the war in Europe. Their efforts saved countless lives.
(9) Only 1 of the Comanche Code Talkers of World War II
remains alive today.
(10) The time has come for the United States Congress to
honor the Comanche Code Talkers for their valor and their
service to the Nation.
(11) The congressional gold medals authorized by this title
are the recognition and honor by the United States and its
citizens of the Comanche Code Talkers who distinguished
themselves in performing a unique, highly successful
communications operation that greatly assisted in saving
countless lives and in hastening the end of World War II in
Europe.
SEC. 202. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro
Tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the
presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate
design to each of the following Comanche Code Talkers of World War II,
in recognition of their contributions to the Nation:
(1) Charles Chibitty.
(2) Haddon Codynah.
(3) Robert Holder.
(4) Forrest Kassanovoid.
(5) Willington Mihecoby.
(6) Perry Noyebad.
(7) Clifford Otitivo.
(8) Simmons Parker.
(9) Melvin Permansu.
(10) Dick Red Elk.
(11) Elgin Red Elk.
(12) Larry Saupitty.
(13) Morris Sunrise.
(14) Willie Yackeschi.
TITLE III--CHOCTAW CODE TALKERS
SEC. 301. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On April 6, 1917, the United States, after
extraordinary provocations, declared war on Germany, thus the
United States entered World War I, the War to End All Wars.
(2) At the time of this declaration of war, Indian people
in the United States, including members of the Choctaw Nation,
were not accorded the status of citizens of the United States.
(3) Without regard to this lack of citizenship, many
members of the Choctaw Nation joined many members of other
Indian tribes and nations in enlisting in the Armed Forces to
fight on behalf of their native land.
(4) Members of the Choctaw Nation were enlisted in the
force known as the American Expeditionary Force, which began
hostile actions in France in the fall of 1917, and
specifically, members of the Choctaw Nation were incorporated
in a company of Indian enlistees serving in the 142d Infantry
Company of the 36th Division.
(5) A major impediment to Allied operations in general, and
American operations in particular, was the fact that the German
forces had deciphered all codes used for transmitting
information between Allied commands, leading to substantial
loss of men and materiel during the first year of American
action.
(6) Because of the proximity and static nature of the
battle lines, a method to communicate without the knowledge of
the enemy was needed.
(7) An American commander realized the fact that he had
under his command a number of men who spoke a native language.
While the use of such native languages was discouraged by the
American Government, the commander sought out and recruited 18
Choctaw Indians to use for transmission of field telephone
communications during an upcoming campaign.
(8) Because the language used by the Choctaw soldiers in
the transmission of information was not based on a European
language or on a mathematical progression, the Germans were
unable to understand any of the transmissions.
(9) The Choctaw soldiers were placed in different command
positions, to achieve the widest possible area for
communications.
(10) The use of the Choctaw Code Talkers was particularly
important in the movement of American soldiers in October of
1918 (including securing forward and exposed positions), in the
protection of supplies during American action (including
protecting gun emplacements from enemy shelling), and in the
preparation for the assault on German positions in the final stages of
combat operations in the fall of 1918.
(11) In the opinion of the officers involved, the use of
Choctaw Indians to transmit information in their native
language saved men and munitions, and was highly successful.
Based on this successful experience, Choctaw Indians were being
withdrawn from frontline units for training in transmission of
codes so as to be more widely used when the war came to a halt.
(12) The Germans never succeeded in breaking the Choctaw
code.
(13) This was the first time in modern warfare that such
transmission of messages in a native American language was used
for the purpose of confusing the enemy.
(14) This action by members of the Choctaw Nation is
another example of the commitment of American Indians to the
defense of our great Nation and adds to the proud legacy of
such service.
(15) The Choctaw Nation has honored the actions of these 18
Choctaw Code Talkers through a memorial bearing their names
located at the entrance of the tribal complex in Durant,
Oklahoma.
SEC. 302. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro
Tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the
presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate
design honoring the Choctaw Code Talkers.
TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 401. MEDALS FOR OTHER CODE TALKERS.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--In addition to the gold medals
authorized to be presented under section 102, 202, and 302, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the
Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on
behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to any
other Native American Code Talker identified by the Secretary of
Defense pursuant to subsection (b) who has not previously received a
congressional gold medal.
(b) Identification of Other Native American Code Talkers.--
(1) In general.--Any Native American member of the United
States Armed Forces who served as a Code Talker in any foreign
conflict in which the United States was involved during the
20th Century shall be eligible for a gold medal under this
section.
(2) Determination.--Eligibility under paragraph (1) shall
be determined by the Secretary of Defense and such Secretary
shall establish a list of the names of such eligible
individuals before the end of the 120-day period beginning on
the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 402. PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL MEDALS UNDER THIS ACT.
(a) Medals Awarded Posthumously.--Medals authorized by this Act may
be awarded posthumously on behalf of, and presented to the next of kin
or other representative of, a Native American Code Talker.
(b) Design and Striking.--
(1) In general.--For purposes of any presentation of a gold
medal under this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall
strike gold medals with suitable emblems, devices, and
inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
(2) Designs emblematic of tribal affiliation.--The design
of the gold medals struck under this Act for Native American
Code talkers of the same Indian tribe shall be emblematic of
the participation of the Code Talkers of such Indian tribe.
(3) Indian tribe defined.--For purposes of this subsection,
the term ``Indian tribe'' has the same meaning as in section 4
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
SEC. 403. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in
bronze of the gold medals struck under this Act in accordance with such
regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a price sufficient
to cover the costs thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of
machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the bronze medal.
SEC. 404. STATUS AS NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for
purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 405. FUNDING.
(a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such
amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals
authorized by this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals under section 403 shall be deposited in the United States
Other Popular 105th Congressional Bills Documents:
|
| GovRecords.org presents information on various agencies of the United States Government. Even though all information is believed to be credible and accurate, no guarantees are made on the complete accuracy of our government records archive. Care should be taken to verify the information presented by responsible parties. Please see our reference page for congressional, presidential, and judicial branch contact information. GovRecords.org values visitor privacy. Please see the privacy page for more information. |
 |