This bill would award a Congressional Gold Medal to each member of the Artemis II crew to recognize their role in advancing human space exploration. A Congressional Gold Medal is one of Congress’s highest civilian honors and is typically created as a one-time commemorative award. The measure would apply to the astronauts selected for Artemis II and would likely involve the U.S. Mint producing and presenting the medals. It is primarily a symbolic recognition measure rather than a change to space policy or federal benefits.
What This Bill Does
- Awards a Congressional Gold Medal to each Artemis II crew member.
- Recognizes the crew’s role in advancing human exploration of space.
- Would involve official federal recognition and medal production.
- Does not create a new program, benefit, or regulatory requirement.
Who This Bill Affects
For most people, this bill would have no direct effect on eligibility, benefits, taxes, or services. The main impact would be symbolic recognition of the Artemis II crew, with any federal cost limited to producing and presenting the medals. If you care about NASA, space policy, or public honors, the bill adds a formal act of national recognition; otherwise its effect on daily life is minimal.
See how this bill affects you — sign in for a personalized analysisWho Supports & Opposes This
- Space program supporters They see the bill as a fitting way to honor astronauts who are helping lead a major U.S. exploration milestone. A Congressional Gold Medal can publicly recognize service, sacrifice, and achievement in a way that encourages national pride and interest in science.
- Aerospace workers and space-industry advocates They may argue that celebrating the Artemis II crew helps validate the broader workforce behind the mission, from engineers to technicians. Public honors can also help inspire future talent to enter STEM fields and the aerospace sector.
- Members of the public who value ceremonial recognition They may support using one of Congress’s highest honors for a historic crewed mission rather than leaving the achievement unrecognized. The award is seen as a straightforward, nonpartisan tribute to a nationally significant accomplishment.
- Fiscal conservatives They may question spending federal funds on ceremonial medals when the government faces larger budget priorities. Even symbolic honors have administrative and production costs, and critics may prefer Congress focus on operational space policy instead.
- Lawmakers skeptical of honorary legislation They may argue that Congress should reserve floor and committee time for bills that change programs or solve policy problems. From this view, commemorative measures have value but should not crowd out substantive legislation.
- Taxpayers concerned about symbolic spending They may support the astronauts but still object to federal recognition that has no direct public-service payoff. Their concern is less about the recipients and more about using government resources for honors rather than core functions.
Key Implications
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““award a Congressional Gold Medal to each of the crew of the Artemis II””
This means every member of the Artemis II crew would receive a separate medal, not a single award for the mission as a whole. It is a formal honor from Congress recognizing individual astronauts.
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““in recognition of advancing human exploration of space to new heights””
The bill frames Artemis II as a milestone in exploration, not just a routine NASA flight. That framing places the mission among nationally significant achievements worthy of congressional recognition.
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““Congressional Gold Medal””
This is the highest civilian award Congress can bestow. In practice, such medals are ceremonial and do not create ongoing benefits or program eligibility for recipients.
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““Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services””
The bill has begun the House committee process. Any further movement would depend on committee consideration before the measure could advance to the House floor.
Official Source & Bill Facts
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- Bill
- HR 9417
- Congress
- 119th Congress
- Official title
- To award a Congressional Gold Medal to each of the crew of the Artemis II, in recognition of advancing human exploration of space to new heights.
- Policy area
- Defense & Military
- Latest action
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (June 24, 2026)
- Last updated
- June 25, 2026
Latest Status
June 24, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
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