Congress Honors 9/11 Hero Welles Crowther with Gold Medal: Bronze Duplicates to Fund Production

The Welles Remy Crowther Congressional Gold Medal Act is Congress’s way of formally recognizing extraordinary heroism. This bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Welles Remy Crowther, the man known for saving lives in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, while wearing his distinctive red bandanna.

The Red Bandanna Legacy Gets National Recognition

This legislation isn’t about changing a law that affects your taxes or your commute; it’s about national remembrance and honor. The bill explicitly details Crowther’s actions: after Flight 175 hit the South Tower, he helped numerous survivors in the Sky Lobby, carrying an injured woman down the stairs and repeatedly returning to the danger zone to guide others to safety before the tower collapsed. Section 2 lays out these findings, making his story part of the official legislative record. The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian awards, and Section 3 mandates that the medal, once struck, be presented directly to his mother, Alison Crowther, ensuring the honor goes to the family who bore the ultimate cost of his sacrifice.

How the Government Pays for a Hero’s Honor

While the award is purely ceremonial, the bill includes a smart, self-funding mechanism for covering the costs. The Secretary of the Treasury is tasked with designing and producing the official gold medal (Section 3). To cover the expenses, Section 4 authorizes the Treasury to create and sell bronze duplicates of the medal. The rule is simple: the selling price of these bronze copies must cover all costs associated with their production, including labor, materials, and equipment. This means that the public’s desire to own a collectible piece honoring this hero essentially funds the entire project.

Numismatic Items and the Public Fund

The financial logistics are straightforward and transparent. Under Section 6, the initial costs for striking the medals can be drawn from the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. Crucially, any revenue generated from selling those bronze duplicates must then be deposited right back into that same fund. This administrative loop ensures the award is cost-neutral to the government, classifying the medals as “numismatic items” (collectible items) under federal law (Section 5). For the average person, this means that if you want a physical memento of Crowther’s heroism, your purchase directly supports the government’s ability to produce these commemorative honors without tapping into general taxpayer funds.