June 24, 2026
Mr. Bacon (for himself, Mr. Whitesides, Mr. Evans of Colorado, and Mr. Ivey) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to each of the crew of the Artemis II, in recognition of advancing human exploration of space to new heights.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings
The Congress finds the following:
(1)
The Artemis II crew set a new record distance for human spaceflight at ~252,756 miles (406,771 km) from Earth, setting the record for longest human distance from Earth.
(2)
The Artemis II was the first crewed mission to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon in 53 years, since the Apollo 17 Mission in December 1972.
(3)
The Artemis II mission took the first real-time, high-definition lunar imagery from human-worn digital devices ever taken mid-mission, including of Earth, a solar eclipse, and the lunar surface.
(4)
The Artemis II mission took the first crewed lunar imagery in 53 years, including rare images of the Moon’s far side from close range.
(5)
Reid Wiseman was the first commander of an Artemis mission. He restored human exploration around the Moon. He is a naval aviator who has now spent 175 days in space between Artemis II and as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for 165 days in 2014, during which time he completed two spacewalks during 13 hours and helped conduct more than 300 scientific experiments. He also served as Chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office. He is the most experienced astronaut to command a crewed lunar mission.
(6)
Victor Glover was the pilot of the Artemis II. This was his second time piloting a new spacecraft on an operational mission following his role in 2018 as pilot for SpaceX Crew-1 aboard the Dragon Resilience. He is also a naval aviator and test pilot who has now spent 178 days in space during his two missions. He has completed four spacewalks during his 168 days aboard the International Space Station. He is also the first person of color and first Black astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
(7)
Christina Koch was the mission specialist of the Artemis II. She holds the record for the single longest spaceflight by a woman (328 days) and participated in the first all-female spacewalk while aboard the International Space Station. She was the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
(8)
Jeremy Hansen was the mission specialist of the Artemis II. He represented the Canadian Space Agency and was the first Canadian and non-U.S. astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
(9)
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson was the launch director of the Artemis II Mission. She is the first woman to serve as a NASA launch director and was the first female launch director for a crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
(10)
Artemis II was the first crewed launch of NASA’s Orion spacecraft on the Space Launch System (SLS), marking the inaugural piloted flight of this deep-space system.
(11)
Artemis II was the first ship-to-ship voice call between a lunar mission and the International Space Station (ISS), marking milestone inter-orbital communication.
(12)
Artemis II was the first mission to confirm Orion’s life support, navigation, propulsion (including translunar injection burns), and reentry systems in deep-space conditions.
(13)
Artemis II laid the groundwork for future lunar landings and missions to Mars, in partnership with United States industry.
(14)
As the first human mission to the Moon in this millennium, the mission also included many other notable firsts, including the following:
(A)
Jacki Mahaffey served as the first female chief training officer for a crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit and to the Moon, and one of the female capsule communicators, a first for a crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit and to the Moon.
(B)
Andre Douglas, a NASA astronaut, and Jenni Gibbons, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, were the first individuals to serve as backup crew members for an Artemis mission beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon.
(C)
Amy Dill served as the flight controller and one of the female capsule communicators, a first for a mission beyond low Earth orbit and to the Moon.
(D)
Lili Villarreal served as the first female landing and recovery director for a crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit and to the Moon.
(E)
Kelsey Young, Angela Garcia, and Trevor Graff, served as the first science officers in Mission Control Center Houston.
Sec. 3. Congressional gold medals
(a) Presentation authorized
The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to each of the crew of the Artemis II, in recognition of advancing human exploration of space to new heights.
(b) Design and striking
For purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the Secretary
) shall strike gold medals with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. Each gold medal shall depict the crew of four astronauts.
Sec. 4. Duplicate medals
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
Sec. 5. Status of medals
(a) National medals
The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
(b) Numismatic items
For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
Sec. 6. Authority to use fund amounts; proceeds of sale
(a) Authority To use fund amounts
There is authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck pursuant to this Act.
(b) Proceeds of sale
Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under this Act shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.