Legislation Search

H.R. 3498: Henrietta Lacks Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill, known as the Henrietta Lacks Congressional Gold Medal Act, aims to award a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Henrietta Lacks in recognition of her significant contributions to global health and scientific research through her cells, known as HeLa cells. The key components of the bill are as follows:

Purpose of the Bill

The bill seeks to honor Henrietta Lacks for her immortal cells that have played a crucial role in various advancements in medicine and scientific research.

Background on Henrietta Lacks

  • Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman born in 1920.
  • She sought medical treatment for cervical cancer at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951.
  • Without her knowledge, researchers took samples of her cancer cells, which later became known as HeLa cells.
  • HeLa cells are unique because they can replicate indefinitely, which has made them invaluable for scientific research.
  • These cells contributed to groundbreaking medical advancements, including vaccines and treatments for various diseases.

Gold Medal Presentation

The bill authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a gold medal to honor Henrietta Lacks. The design and striking of the medal will be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury.

Display of the Gold Medal

  • After the presentation, the gold medal will be given to the Smithsonian Institution for public display.
  • Congress expresses a desire for the medal to be displayed in other locations associated with Henrietta Lacks.

Duplicate Medals

The Secretary of the Treasury may also strike and sell bronze duplicates of the gold medal, with proceeds from the sales used to cover the production costs.

Status of the Medals

  • The medals awarded under this act shall be considered national medals.
  • All medals struck under this act are classified as numismatic items.

Funding

The United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund will cover costs associated with producing the medals, and proceeds from any sales of duplicate medals will be deposited into this fund.

Relevant Companies

None found

This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.

Show More

Sponsors

36 bill sponsors

Actions

2 actions

Date Action
May. 19, 2025 Introduced in House
May. 19, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Corporate Lobbying

0 companies lobbying

None found.

* Note that there can be significant delays in lobbying disclosures, and our data may be incomplete.

Potentially Relevant Congressional Stock Trades

No relevant congressional stock trades found.