Daniel Penny Congressional Gold Medal Act — Full text

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Daniel Penny Congressional Gold Medal Act.

Section 2. Findings

The Congress finds as follows:

(1) Throughout President Biden’s term as President, local governments across various cities and States failed to adequately protect residents and their property from violent criminals.

(2) On May 1, 2023, an individual began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and other passengers on a New York City subway.

(3) Daniel Penny, with others, acted to save New York City subway riders from threatening behavior by restraining a criminal—who had 42 prior arrests and an active warrant—until the police came.

(4) The courageous actions taken in response to the threat to his community by Daniel Penny, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, went beyond the civilian call of duty.

Section 3. Sense of Congress

It is the sense of the Congress that Daniel Penny, with integrity and honor that is characteristic of who he is and of his honorable service in the United States Marine Corps, stepped in to protect women and children from an individual who was threatening to kill innocent bystanders, and he is a hero.

(a) Presentation Authorized

The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to Daniel Penny, who protected women and children of the city of New York, New York, from violence on May 1, 2023.

(b) Design and striking

For purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the Secretary) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.

(c) Sense of Congress

It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Mint should expedite production of the gold medal under this Act, so that the heroic and protective actions of Daniel Penny on May 1, 2023, in New York can be recognized and honored in a timely manner.

Section 5. Duplicate medals

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 4, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.

(a) National medals

The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

(b) Numismatic items

For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

(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 struck under this Act.

(b) Proceeds of sale

Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 5 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.