Bill > HR6559

This bill seeks to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 30 fallen workers of the Thiokol Chemical Plant in Woodbine, Georgia, who tragically lost their lives in two separate explosions in 1971 and 1973. The bill provides extensive historical context, highlighting that these workers, many of whom were African American women, were civilian contractors manufacturing essential munitions during the Vietnam War. The most significant explosion occurred on February 3, 1971, killing 29 people and injuring over 50 others, which is considered the worst industrial accident in southeast Georgia's history. The legislation recognizes the workers' contributions to national defense, workplace integration, and social progress, noting that they earned equal wages and helped shape modern workplace standards before the Equal Rights Amendment. The bill directs the Speaker of the House and Senate President pro tempore to arrange for a gold medal to be struck and presented to the Thiokol Memorial Museum, where it will be displayed and made available for research. Additionally, the bill allows for bronze duplicates of the medal to be sold to cover production costs, and specifies that the medal will be considered a national medal and numismatic item. The legislation also authorizes funding from the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund to cover the medal's production expenses.

Business and Industry

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6559/all-info