S. 2195 — WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act

This section states congressional findings recognizing the service of more than 59,000 Army nurses and 14,000 Navy nurses during World War II—including their deployment under fire across six continents, receipt of 50% pay without veteran benefits due to lack of full military status under the Act of June 4, 1920, internment of 67 Army nurses at Santo Tomas for 37 months and 11 Navy nurses at Los Baños, and contributions by Chinese-American, Japanese-American, and Filipina nurses.

This section authorizes the award of a Congressional Gold Medal, on behalf of Congress, to World War II Army and Navy Nurse Corps members in recognition of their military service and devotion to duty. It directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike the medal and, following the award, requires its presentation to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research, with a sense of Congress that it be made available at appropriate locations (e.g., U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, Women in Military Service for America Memorial).

This section authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates 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.

This section designates medals struck pursuant to this Act as (1) national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code (governing U.S. Mint production of coins and medals), and (2) numismatic items for purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code (authorizing their design, production, and sale by the Mint).

This section authorizes the charge against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund of amounts necessary to pay the costs of medals struck under this Act and directs the deposit of proceeds from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 into that fund.