Bill > HR6816

This bill would award a Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the African Americans who served with Union forces during the Civil War, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service. The bill includes findings about the significant contributions of African American soldiers and sailors to the Union cause, including that approximately 200,000 African American men served in the Union Army and 19,000 in the Union Navy. The bill authorizes the Speaker of the House and President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the presentation of the gold medal, which would then be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicate bronze medals.