The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 6, February 6, 2005, Article 5

TOO MANY CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS?

Dick Johnson writes: "The U.S. House of Representatives
voted Wednesday January 26, 2005, for tighter rules for
bestowing Congressional Gold Medals. Congress was
concerned the prestige and significance of these medals
were being diminished by too many such awards, particularly
in recent years.

The bill passed 231-173. Most Republican Representatives
favored the restrictions, most Democrats voted against it.
In addition to limiting the number of Congressional Medals
to two a year, the bill restricts this to individuals only, banning
groups from receiving the award, and further, posthumous
medals must be granted within 25 years of a recipient#39;s death.

It may not be obvious, but it was the 29 medals awarded to
the Navajo Code Talkers in 2000 that is the cause of this
proposed legislation. No one is denying that the Code Talkers
deserve a very special Congressional recognition. The trouble
is that Congress did not go about it in the correct manner.
Congress should have known this maxim in the award and
recognition business:

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization 
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor 
at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com

To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum