First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act
- Bill Number
- S. 567
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Passed Senate
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-15: Held at the desk.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-16T14:55:28Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation awards a single Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the First Rhode Island Regiment to recognize its service in the Revolutionary War. The act establishes a formal process for creating and presenting the medal while directing its long-term display and preservation.
Key Provisions
- Findings: The bill outlines the regiment’s formation in 1778, including the Rhode Island General Assembly’s decision to recruit enslaved and free Black, mulatto, and Indigenous men, who were granted freedom upon enlistment. It details the unit’s integrated composition, its actions at the Battle of Rhode Island, continued service until 1784, and post-war challenges faced by veterans.
- Medal Award: The Speaker of the House and President pro tempore of the Senate are authorized to present one gold medal of appropriate design to honor the regiment as a whole.
- Design and Production: The Secretary of the Treasury determines the medal’s design and strikes it.
- Recipient and Display: The gold medal is transferred to the Rhode Island State Library for appropriate display and research use, with a sense of Congress that it be made available for other relevant exhibitions.
- Duplicate Medals: Bronze duplicates may be struck and sold to cover production costs.
- Legal Status: The medals are designated as national medals under existing U.S. Code provisions and treated as numismatic items.
- Funding: Costs are charged to the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, with proceeds from bronze sales returned to the same fund.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The act introduces no amendments to broader statutes. It applies standard procedures for Congressional Gold Medals under title 31 of the U.S. Code to this specific historical unit, without altering general medal-award processes or eligibility rules.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The U.S. Mint handles production and sales; the Rhode Island State Library receives and maintains the medal.
- Citizens: The award provides public recognition of the regiment’s history, potentially supporting educational programs and historical research. Sale of bronze duplicates may generate modest revenue for the Mint.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Descendants of First Rhode Island Regiment soldiers and related historical or cultural organizations.
- The State of Rhode Island and its State Library.
- The U.S. Congress and the Department of the Treasury.
- The broader public interested in Revolutionary War history.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure exercises Congress’s authority to bestow honors through medals, a longstanding practice with no constitutional restrictions noted. It emphasizes the integrated nature of the regiment and the freedom granted to enslaved enlistees, highlighting an early example of multiracial military service without introducing new legal precedents or policy shifts.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Cosponsors (67)
Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC], Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI], Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND], Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH], Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO], Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT], Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL], Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN], Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY], Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO], Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND], Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC], Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK], Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY], Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD], Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD], Sen. Hagerty, Bill [R-TN], Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC], Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT], Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA], Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL], Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME], Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA], Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE], Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE] and 17 more
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-15: Held at the desk.
- 2026-06-15: Received in the House.
- 2026-06-12: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 2026-06-11: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2770)
- 2026-06-11: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2770)
- 2026-06-11: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S2770)
- 2026-06-11: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- 2026-06-11: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-02-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- 2025-02-13: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act — issued 2026-06-11 — PDF (8 pages)
- First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act — issued 2025-02-13 — PDF (7 pages)