North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act
Introduced February 21, 2025 · Last action February 21, 2025
Plain English Summary
This bill authorizes the U.S. Mint to strike and present a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the volunteers and donors who supported the North Platte Canteen in Nebraska during World War II (1941-1946). The medal will be displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, and the Mint may sell duplicate bronze versions to recover costs.
Who benefits
The Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska, which receives custody of the gold medal for permanent display and research purposes. Historical societies and educators in Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas gain a commemorative artifact honoring regional World War II volunteer efforts. The U.S. Mint may recover production costs through sales of duplicate bronze medals.
Who pays / loses
U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund bears the upfront costs of designing and striking the gold medal and any bronze duplicates, though the bill specifies these costs are to be recovered through duplicate medal sales. No identifiable group loses a benefit or faces new restrictions.
Funding & Lobbying Interests
This is a commemorative measure with no financial interests lobbying for passage. Congressional Gold Medals are non-controversial honors typically backed by the sponsoring representatives' home-state historical and veteran communities. The bill sponsors—representatives Smith, Bacon, and Flood, all from Nebraska—reflect regional pride in the North Platte Canteen's World War II legacy. No private companies or commercial interests stand to gain financially; the U.S. Mint operates as a self-sustaining enterprise fund and recovers costs through duplicate medal sales.
Political Impact
Affected Groups
Approximately 55,000 volunteers (mostly women) from 125 communities across Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas who served the North Platte Canteen between 1941 and 1946 are collectively honored. The 6 million U.S. troops who were served by the Canteen during the war are indirectly recognized. North Platte residents and the broader tri-state region gain a permanent public memorial to their World War II contributions. Descendants of these volunteers and donors are most directly affected as beneficiaries of official national recognition.
Political Subtext
Proponents frame this as recognition of grassroots American patriotism and home-front sacrifice during World War II, celebrating rural Midwestern volunteerism. The bill emphasizes the canteen operated without federal assistance, appealing to values of local self-reliance. No significant opposition to commemorative gold medals for historical service is typical in Congress. The measure is nonpartisan and uncontroversial—both major parties support recognizing World War II service. Congress previously passed a resolution in 2004 (108th Congress) recognizing the same effort, demonstrating sustained, bipartisan interest.
Real-World Stakes
If passed, a gold medal is created and displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum, providing a permanent educational artifact for public visitation and research. The museum gains a nationally significant symbol that may increase regional tourism and educational programming. The U.S. Mint incurs modest design and production costs (not specified in the bill) that are recovered through duplicate bronze medal sales, so no net taxpayer cost results. The act creates official Congressional recognition of 55,000 volunteers and their communities—a symbolic honor with no material redistribution of resources. Analogous Congressional Gold Medals (awarded to military units, civil rights leaders, and humanitarian groups) function as permanent public memorials with minimal fiscal impact; outcomes are limited to enhanced historical commemoration and museum visitation.
Sponsor
Sponsor information not available.
Vote Record
No recorded votes.
Campaign Finance — Primary Sponsor
No campaign finance data available yet.
501(c)(4) disclosure: Contributions from 501(c)(4) "dark money" organizations are not required to be publicly disclosed and are not reflected in the figures above. Data sourced from FEC public disclosure filings.
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