Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4909
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T04:53:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation awards a Congressional Gold Medal to each crew member of the Artemis II Mission to recognize their role in advancing human space exploration.
Key Provisions
- Short Title: The bill is named the "Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act."
- Findings: Congress notes the mission's achievements, including traveling 252,756 miles from Earth (the farthest humans have gone), marking the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, producing the first real-time high-definition lunar images from crew-worn devices in 53 years, and confirming key systems on the Orion spacecraft. It also highlights individual accomplishments of the four crew members:
- Reid Wiseman (commander): Naval aviator with prior space experience, most experienced astronaut to lead a crewed lunar mission.
- Victor Glover (pilot): Naval aviator, first person of color to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
- Christina Koch (mission specialist): Record holder for longest spaceflight by a woman, first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
- Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist, Canadian Space Agency): First Canadian and first non-U.S. astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
Additional findings recognize various "firsts" in mission roles, such as the first female NASA launch director for a crewed deep-space mission.
- Medal Award: The Speaker of the House and Senate President pro tempore arrange presentation of one gold medal per crew member, with designs determined by the Secretary of the Treasury; each medal must depict the four-astronaut crew.
- Duplicates: The Secretary may produce and sell bronze duplicates to cover costs.
- Status: The medals are designated as national medals and numismatic items under federal law.
- Funding: Costs are charged to the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, with sale proceeds returned to the same fund.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill introduces no amendments to prior statutes but authorizes new Congressional Gold Medals under existing Treasury authority for such awards. It establishes specific design requirements and sale provisions for duplicates.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Directs the U.S. Mint to produce and distribute medals, using existing funds without new appropriations.
- Citizens: Allows public purchase of bronze duplicates, potentially increasing awareness of space achievements.
- International Relations: Honors a Canadian astronaut, supporting U.S.-Canada space cooperation through NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- The four crew members (Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen).
- NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.
- U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Mint.
- Congress (as the awarding body).
- Space industry partners and the general public interested in space exploration.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications Congress holds constitutional authority to award medals under its powers to regulate commerce and recognize national achievements. The bill reflects bipartisan sponsorship and emphasizes milestones in space policy, with no apparent conflicts with existing law or constitutional limits.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (6)
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE], Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL], Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE], Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (8 pages)