President Signs Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The "Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act of 2009" was signed in to law by President Obama on November 6, authorizing the U.S. Mint to issue silver and gold commemorative coins in recognition of the 1861 establishment of the Medal of Honor, America's highest award for valor in action against an enemy force.

The bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by Congressmen Christopher P. Carney (D-PA) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), both Commanders in the Navy Reserve, was accompanied by a companion Senate bill, introduced in the Senate by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

"Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Medal of Honor with a U.S. Coin is a wonderful tribute to all the men and women who have served this great country in uniform with the same courage and selflessness as our Medal of Honor recipients," said Thomas J. Hudner (USN-Ret.), a Medal of Honor recipient and Korean War veteran from Concord, Massachusetts. "They continue to serve today on our behalf to protect our freedoms."

Completely funded by sales of the commemorative coin to the public, the coin program could generate up to $8.5 million in surcharges for the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.

"The Medal of Honor Foundation is very grateful for the strong support of Congress and the President in the establishment of a Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin," said Nick Kehoe, President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. "The Foundation is proud to help perpetuate the Medal of Honor's rich legacy of courage, sacrifice and selflessness through this coin honoring the Medal's 150th anniversary."

Established in 1999, the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that perpetuates the legacy of the Medal of Honor and promotes the ideals of heroism and selfless service. Its work toward these ends has included the distribution of informational materials on the Medal of Honor, the production of more than 100 video histories of recipients of America's highest military award for valor told in each recipient's own words, educational programs, and museum exhibits. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is an organization comprised exclusively of the fewer than 100 living Medal of Honor recipients.

Congressional Medal of Honor Society: www.cmohs.org
Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation: www.cmohfoundation.org