Everett Alvarez, Jr., Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023
This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, Jr. in recognition of his service to the United States.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 633 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 633
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, Jr., in
recognition of his service to the United States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 2, 2023
Mr. Padilla (for himself and Ms. Lummis) 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 Everett Alvarez, Jr., in
recognition of his service to the United States.
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 ``Everett Alvarez, Jr. Congressional
Gold Medal Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Commander Everett Alvarez, Jr. (referred to in this
section as ``CDR Alvarez''), served with distinction in the
Vietnam War and made historic sacrifices for the United States
as--
(A) the first United States pilot to be shot down
and captured during the Vietnam War; and
(B) the second-longest-held prisoner of war in the
history of the United States, surviving more than 8\1/
2\ years in captivity.
(2) CDR Alvarez was born in Salinas, California, in 1937
and was the grandchild of Mexican immigrants.
(3) CDR Alvarez attended Salinas Union High School and
Hartnell College and received a bachelor of science degree from
Santa Clara University.
(4) In 1960, CDR Alvarez joined the Navy and was
commissioned as Ensign.
(5) After receiving his commission, CDR Alvarez attended
flight training at the Naval Air Training Command in Pensacola,
Florida.
(6) In June 1961, CDR Alvarez was transferred to the Naval
Auxiliary Air Station in Kingsville, Texas, where he trained
until December 1961.
(7) CDR Alvarez was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade in
April 1962.
(8) In June 1962, CDR Alvarez joined Attack Squadron 144,
nicknamed the ``Roadrunners'', which was deployed to the Gulf
of Tonkin before the United States entered the Vietnam War in
August 1964.
(9) On August 5, 1964, while flying Operation Pierce Arrow
from the USS Constellation near the Vietnam-China border, CDR
Alvarez's A-4 Skyhawk was shot down, and he was captured by a
Vietnamese fishing vessel.
(10) Upon capture, CDR Alvarez was taken to the Hoa Lo
Prison in Hanoi, known to many former prisoners as the ``Hanoi
Hilton''.
(11) CDR Alvarez spent his first 13 months, 8 days, and 5
hours in isolation.
(12) While at Hoa Lo, CDR Alvarez was repeatedly beaten and
tortured, was fed inedible meals, and suffered malnourishment.
(13) In September 1965, CDR Alvarez was moved to the
``Briarpatch'', a prison camp west of Hanoi that had no
electricity or running water.
(14) Despite torture and interrogation, CDR Alvarez
remained loyal to the United States and assisted other American
prisoners of war.
(15) CDR Alvarez, through his own actions, encouraged and
inspired fellow prisoners of war to ``return with honor'',
which meant keeping their integrity in the face of torture and
not cooperating with or divulging information to the enemy, so
that they could return home having remained loyal to the United
States.
(16) At great risk, CDR Alvarez helped spread the means of
communication among fellow prisoners of war, including the tap
code and the mute hand code, to keep up spirits and stay
organized.
(17) On July 6, 1966, CDR Alvarez and 51 other American
prisoners of war were forced to march in the ``Hanoi Parade''
where he was abused and attacked by mobs.
(18) CDR Alvarez was released on February 12, 1973, after
spending 3,113 days, or 8 years and 6 months, in captivity.
(19) Following his release and hospitalization, CDR Alvarez
resumed his service in the Navy, returning to Naval Air Station
Kingsville for refresher flight training.
(20) CDR Alvarez--
(A) attended the Naval Postgraduate School in
Monterey, California, and received a master's degree in
operations research and systems analysis in 1976; and
(B) was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame of
the Naval Postgraduate School on March 27, 2015.
(21) CDR Alvarez served in Program Management at the Naval
Air Systems command in Washington, DC, from October 1976 until
his retirement.
(22) CDR Alvarez retired from the Navy on June 30, 1980,
after a 20-year career in the Navy.
(23) In April 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed CDR
Alvarez as Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, where he served
until 1982.
(24) In July 1982, President Reagan nominated CDR Alvarez
to be Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration, now
known as the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he served
until 1986.
(25) CDR Alvarez earned his juris doctor from the George
Washington University Law School in 1983 and has been admitted
to the District of Columbia bar.
(26) In February 1987, President Reagan appointed CDR
Alvarez to the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences, where he served for nearly
21 years.
(27) For his service, CDR Alvarez was awarded the Silver
Star Medal, 2 Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross,
2 Bronze Star Medals, 2 Purple Hearts, and the Prisoner of War
Medal.
(28) On September 18, 2012, the United States Navy Memorial
awarded CDR Alvarez the ``Lone Sailor Award''.
(29) The people of the United States honor the sacrifices
of CDR Alvarez and his service to the United States.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--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 Congress,
of a gold medal of appropriate design to Everett Alvarez, Jr., in
recognition of his service to the United States.
(b) Design and Striking.--
(1) In general.--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.
(2) Image and inscription.--The gold medal struck under
paragraph (1) shall bear an image of, and the inscription of
the name of, Everett Alvarez, Jr.
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 section 5134 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 Sale.--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. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S637-638)
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