New Act Authorizes Congressional Gold Medals for 1980 'Miracle on Ice' Team; Bronze Copies Headed to Market

This bill, officially titled the “Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act,” is purely commemorative. Essentially, Congress is making it official: the legendary 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team—the one that pulled off the “Miracle on Ice” win against the seemingly unbeatable Soviet Union team—is getting the Congressional Gold Medal.

The Ultimate Team Award

This Act directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for three Congressional Gold Medals to be struck in honor of the team, including Coach Herb Brooks. This is a big deal, as the Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honors in the U.S. The bill specifically notes that this victory, achieved by amateur college players during a tough period for the country, was a major morale booster and fundamentally changed the trajectory of ice hockey in the U.S., citing the nearly 400% jump in USA Hockey registrations since 1980 (Sec. 2).

Where the Medals Will Live

Unlike many commemorative medals given to individuals, these three originals have specific institutional homes lined up. The medals won't be sitting in a private collection; they are destined for public display and research. One medal goes to the Lake Placid Olympic Center in New York, another to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota, and the third to the United States Olympic Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado (Sec. 3).

Your Chance to Own a Piece of History

If you’re thinking, “Cool, but how do I get one?” the bill has you covered. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to create and sell bronze duplicates of the gold medal. This is standard procedure for Congressional Gold Medals. The catch? The price has to cover all production costs—labor, materials, stamping dies, and overhead (Sec. 4). This means the U.S. Mint isn't supposed to make a profit; they just need to break even on the collectible copies.

The Money Flow

To make these gold and bronze medals, the government is authorized to use funds from the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. This is the fund the Mint uses for its operations. When the Treasury sells those bronze copies, the money from those sales goes right back into that same fund (Sec. 6). For the average person, this means the commemorative effort is designed to be self-sustaining through the sale of collectibles, minimizing the cost to taxpayers while still formally recognizing a moment that mattered deeply to millions of Americans.