[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9505 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9505
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Bonnie Eloise Rush
Milam in recognition of her distinguished service to the United States
Armed Forces through the Melody Maids and her lifelong contributions to
patriotism, music education, and the leadership development of young
women in the United States.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 29, 2026
Mr. Babin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
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A BILL
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Bonnie Eloise Rush
Milam in recognition of her distinguished service to the United States
Armed Forces through the Melody Maids and her lifelong contributions to
patriotism, music education, and the leadership development of young
women in the United States.
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 ``Bonnie Eloise Rush Milam
Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Bonnie Eloise Rush Milam, born in 1908 in Anahuac,
Texas, was a music educator who founded the Melody Maids, an
all-girls singing group, in Beaumont, Texas, in 1942 during
World War II.
(2) The Melody Maids began with a performance at a war bond
rally and quickly expanded to support United States military
morale, performing at bases, hospitals, and veterans' events
across the United States and overseas, including four tours to
Europe and the United Kingdom, seven tours to Nordic countries
such as Greenland and Iceland, seven tours to Hawaii, three
tours to Asia, five tours to Mexico, and tours to four
locations in the Caribbean.
(3) Under the leadership of Mrs. Milam, the Melody Maids
provided entertainment and comfort to service members during
World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, earning
recognition as the most requested performers under the
Department of Defense Entertainment Branch after 1956.
(4) Mrs. Milam instilled in approximately 1,500 young women
who served as Melody Maids the values of ``morals, manners, and
music'', emphasizing professionalism, discipline, and service
through a code of conduct known as the Melody Maid ``Bible''.
(5) In addition to military support, Mrs. Milam composed
Song Saga of Spindletop in 1951 to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of the Lucas Gusher, celebrating Texas oil
heritage, which was performed nationally.
(6) The contributions of Mrs. Milam were recognized with
the American Legion Distinguished Service Award (1961),
designation as the first female Honorary Texas Ranger, and the
Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor (1981).
(7) The legacy of Mrs. Milam and the Melody Maids continues
through the Melody Maid Foundation scholarship at Lamar
University and preserved memorabilia at the Tyrrell Historical
Library in Beaumont, Texas.
(8) Mrs. Milam passed away on October 3, 2008, at the age
of 100.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make
appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of
the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of
Bonnie Eloise Rush Milam, in recognition of her distinguished service
to the United States Armed Forces through the Melody Maids and her
lifelong contributions to patriotism, music education, and the
leadership development of young women in the United States.
(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 a gold medal with suitable
emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
(c) Disposition of Medal.--Following the presentation of the gold
medal under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the
Tyrrell Historical Library in Beaumont, Texas, where the medal shall be
available for display as appropriate and made available for research.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal 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.
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