Pursuing a Congressional Gold Medal for Peace Corps Volunteers

Bipartisan legisaltion (H.R. 5521) has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Betty McCollum (D-MN) and John Rutherford (R-FL). At this time, we are still seeking bipartisan leaders in the Senate to introduce and take the lead on advancing and passing this legislation.

Yes. Most of the early Congressional Gold Medal recipients were military leaders (beginning with George Washington in 1776). In more recent years, the medal has been awarded to a wide range of citizens and global leaders, including the Wright Brothers (1909), Robert Frost (1960), Walt Disney (1968), Lady Bird Johnson (1968), Mother Teresa (1997), and Dr. Muhammad Yunus (2010).

Also, the gold medal is awarded to groups of people. This includes the American Red Cross (1979), the 1980 U.S. Summer Olympic Team (1980), the Rosie the Riveters of World War II (2024), and 60 diplomats around the world honored for their bravery and heroism during the Holocaust (2024).

The most recent recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal were members of the so-called "Miracle on Ice" U.S. men's Olympic hockey team of 1980. Congress passed this legislation last September and was signed into law on December 12, 2025.

In honoring members of this team, lawmakers and others have recognized their hard work, achievement, and inspiration, while instilling a spirit of patriotism throughout the country. This legislation was co-sponsored by 299 members of the House of Representatives and 75 members of the Senate. If you are meeting with these members, congratulate them on helping to honor the twenty members of this team, and suggest that the values and spirit they represent can also be found in the nearly 250,000 past and present Peace Corps Volunteers who have served our nation with distinction over the past 65 years.

There is a very high bar to pass the legislation.

In order to pass Congressional Gold Medal legislation in the Senate and House, both chambers need to have 2/3 of its members to not only express support for the legislation. They have to co-sponsor this legislation. While this will be challenging, we believe a pathway exists and the time is right to make this happen. But we will need huge support from our community to make this happen!

There is very minimal cost. There is a cost associated with the designing, striking and producing the original gold medal (which is made of real gold) that is issued. That task is charged to the Department of the Treasury’s U.S. Mint. Current charges will have to be confirmed by contacting representatives at the U.S. Mint.  In the past, costs for the original gold medal to be produced were $30,000 or more, depending on the work involved.

This is not likely, and not planned in the proposed legislation. To keep the costs of this legislation as low as possible, the legislation would support the creation of the initial gold medal, which would likely be housed at Peace Corps headquarters.

It is possible that after the legislation becomes law, mechanisms could be set in place so RPCVs could purchase replicas of the gold medal, at prices ranging from $30 to $200. Another option (similar to when the Peace Corps received the 1987 "Beyond War Award"), could involve the mailing of a certificate or letter to all RPCVs. This type of possibility could be considered after passage, and not be part of the legislation.

View the map to see if your House Rep is a current co-sponsor of House Bill 5521.

We are aware of, and appreciate this sentiment expressed by some members of the Peace Corps community. The purpose of this legislation goes far beyond recognition.

At this time when a number of institutions are being scaled back or eliminated, this legislation serves as a reminder that the Peace Corps is still operating.

Promotion of the Congressional Gold Medal can serve as a recruitment tool. Imagine being able to speak about the Peace Corps at future presentations, and note that the significance of the work of Peace Corps Volunteers has been recognized by the Congress with its highest civilian honor.

And, at a time of increased civil discord, this legislation is bringing lawmakers together from across the political and ideological spectrum, to recognize and celebrate the meaningful work of the Peace Corps and its volunteers.