[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8542 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8542
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner, in
recognition of his service to the United States during World War II and
his contributions to the medical field, particularly gastroenterology.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 23, 2024
Mr. Mast introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
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A BILL
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner, in
recognition of his service to the United States during World War II and
his contributions to the medical field, particularly gastroenterology.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner Congressional
Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner was born to Ukrainian Jewish
immigrants Harris and Ida Kirsner on September 21, 1909, in
Boston, Massachusetts.
(2) Dr. Kirsner earned his medical degree from Tufts
University, graduating near the top of his class, in 1933.
(3) In 1935, Dr. Kirsner joined the staff of the first
academic gastroenterology unit in the United States at the
University of Chicago.
(4) Dr. Kirsner earned his PhD in gastroenterology from the
University of Chicago in 1942.
(5) Dr. Kirsner joined the United States Army Medical Corps
as a First Lieutenant in September 1943 and served three years
with the 15th, 203rd, and 229th General Hospitals.
(6) Dr. Kirsner was one of the few doctors consulted on the
refeeding of Holocaust survivors.
(7) Dr. Kirsner continuously fought to increase and
diversify research funding for gastroenterology.
(8) In 1962, Dr. Kirsner, along with a group of his
patients, the Section of Gastroenterology, and the University
of Chicago established the Gastro-Intestinal Research
Foundation.
(9) Dr. Kirsner received every major award and honor for
gastroenterology throughout his career, except the one award he
was ineligible to win, the American Digestive Health
Foundation's top prize for excellence in clinical research, the
Joseph B. Kirsner Award.
(10) Dr. Kirsner was a pioneer in gastroenterology who
dedicated his life to medicine, teaching, and patient care.
(11) Dr. Kirsner conducted invaluable research on peptic
ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, and Crohn's
disease, and made numerous breakthroughs in the field on
patient management and cancer risk.
(12) Dr. Kirsner trained over 200 fellows, including more
than 41 full professors, and 14 department chairs in
gastroenterology.
(13) Throughout his career Dr. Kirsner authored over 750
scientific papers and 18 textbooks, which are the leading
teaching materials on gastroenterology.
(14) Dr. Kirsner was instrumental in founding the American
Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the American
Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the
Gastroenterology Research Group (American Gastroenterological
Association), and the National Foundation for Research in
Ulcerative Colitis, among others.
(15) Dr. Kirsner continued to treat patients until he
retired in 2010, at the age of 100.
(16) Dr. Kirsner passed away from kidney failure on July 7,
2012, in Chicago, Illinois.
(17) The Congress has awarded similar medals to other
doctors for their outstanding contributions to the medical
field, including Major Walter Reed and his associates in 1928,
Dr. Thomas Anthony Dooley III in 1961, Dr. Jonas E. Salk in
1977, and Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey in 2007.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives
and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate
arrangements for the award, on behalf of the Congress, of a single gold
medal of appropriate design to Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner, in recognition of
his service to the United States during World War II and his
contributions to the medical field, particularly gastroenterology.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike the gold medal with
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the
Secretary. The design shall bear an image of, and inscription of the
name of, Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner.
(c) Joseph B. Kirsner Library.--
(1) In general.--After the award of the gold medal referred
to in subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the
University of Chicago, where it shall be displayed as
appropriate in the Joseph B. Kirsner library and made available
for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the University of Chicago should make the gold medal received
under paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere,
particularly at other locations and events associated with Dr.
Joseph B. Kirsner.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck under section 3, 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.--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
under this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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