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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4680 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4680
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Jens Stoltenberg, in recognition
of his contributions to the security, unity, and defense of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 11 (legislative day, July 10), 2024
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Schumer, Mr. McConnell, Mr.
Cardin, Mr. Risch, Mr. Reed, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr.
Coons, Mr. Booker, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Padilla, Mr.
Kaine, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Smith, Mr. King, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Cortez Masto,
Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Thune, Ms. Collins, Mr. Manchin, Ms.
Ernst, Mr. Moran, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Graham,
Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Ricketts, Mrs. Capito, Mr.
Whitehouse, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Crapo, Mrs.
Murray, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Welch, Mr. Lujan,
Ms. Hirono, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Tester, Mr.
Warner, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Casey, Ms. Hassan, Ms.
Duckworth, and Mrs. Gillibrand) introduced the following bill; which
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and
Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Jens Stoltenberg, in recognition
of his contributions to the security, unity, and defense of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
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 ``Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Jens Stoltenberg served as the Prime Minister of Norway
from 2000 to 2001 and 2005 to 2013.
(2) Norway was a founding member of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (referred to in this Act as ``NATO'') on
April 4, 1949.
(3) As Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg oversaw
Norway's increased defense spending levels and the
modernization of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
(4) A primary objective of NATO is to provide security and
support to member nations and promote democratic values to
ensure stability and peace.
(5) Jens Stoltenberg assumed the position of Secretary
General of NATO in October 2014.
(6) The United States was the first NATO member to support
Jens Stoltenberg's appointment as Secretary General.
(7) Jens Stoltenberg has led NATO through significant new
investments, reinforced its capabilities and enhanced the
collective defense of the Alliance.
(8) Jens Stoltenberg has advocated for greater burden
sharing among members of the NATO Alliance, and under his
leadership the Alliance will see 23 member countries reach or
exceed the 2 percent defense spending commitment by 2024,
compared to 4 member countries in 2014.
(9) Jens Stoltenberg's commitment to better burden sharing
has resulted in a stronger and more sustainable Alliance than
at any other time in NATO history.
(10) Under Jens Stoltenberg's leadership, NATO has
successfully undergone multiple enlargement periods and has
extended membership to Finland, Montenegro, North Macedonia and
Sweden.
(11) In addition to bolstering the collective security of
the Alliance, NATO enlargement indicates that an increasing
number of countries are meeting key benchmarks on the military,
political and legal requirements needed for NATO accession,
enhancing interoperability, defense expenditure and
intelligence sharing among member countries.
(12) Jens Stoltenberg has increased NATO's partnerships
with Indo-Pacific countries to cooperate more closely to
address our shared global challenges including cyber defense,
emergency technologies, and the multitude of challenges posed
by the People's Republic of China.
(13) Jens Stoltenberg included Indo-Pacific leaders at NATO
summits and traveled to the region which further cemented these
important partnerships.
(14) Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in
February 2022, Jens Stoltenberg has led the Alliance in
maintaining unprecedented unity against Putin's unprovoked,
illegal actions.
(15) Since February 2022, NATO members have supplied
Ukraine with the equipment and resources it needs to defend its
democracy and its sovereignty.
(16) Jens Stoltenberg successfully marshaled political and
financial support from Indo-Pacific partners to support
Ukraine, including contributions of munitions and military
equipment and sizeable financial contributions to NATO's
Comprehensive Assistance Plan Action Trust Fund for Ukraine.
(17) Jens Stoltenberg's mandate was extended a total of 4
times with unanimous support by NATO allies, with 2 extensions
agreed to following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
(18) Jens Stoltenberg is the second longest-serving
Secretary General, serving over 9 years in this position.
(19) Jens Stoltenberg has re-committed that the NATO
Alliance will stand together against any threat posed to a NATO
member, ensuring continued peace and stability within NATO
territory and around the world.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate
arrangements for the award, on behalf of the Congress, of a single gold
medal of appropriate design to Jens Stoltenberg, in recognition of his
contributions to the security, unity, and defense of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the award 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. The
design shall bear an inscription of the name of Jens Stoltenberg.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs
of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--Medals struck under 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.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(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 Sales.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
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