The bill was introduced last year by Rep. Franks and Rep. Kennedy in the House and Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) in the Senate. The Senate passed a companion version of the bill in March by unanimous consent.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian decoration in the United States, awarded to an individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States. This Congressional Gold Medal would be the first awarded to a sitting President of Israel.
According to Congressman Trent Franks, “President Shimon Peres has embodied a commitment to the mutual values shared by the United States and Israel — values that include the preservation of life, faith, family, and freedom. As a figure instrumental in deepening US-Israeli relations, Peres’ lifelong dedication to these foundational principles, as well as his steadfast dedication to making the world a safer place from the sort of hateful ideologies that lead to terrorism, more than warrants his receiving a Congressional Gold Medal.”
Congressman Joe Kennedy added, “For over 70 years President Shimon Peres has dedicated himself to the enduring bond that unites Israel and the United States. There has been no greater champion for our shared values and defender of our shared interests. The passage of this bill signifies that Congress and the American people stand strong in our support of Israel and her people. In recognition of his tireless efforts and of the friendship embedded deeply between our two countries, I am honored to join my colleagues in moving this bipartisan legislation forward.”
Other historic dual recipients of this award include Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Elie Wiesel, and Aung San Suu Kyii, the Burmese democracy activist. Of the eight dual medalists, four are also Nobel peace laureates.
“The passage of this momentous legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Israeli President Shimon Peres marks another great chapter in the U.S. Israeli bond of shared democratic and cultural values,” said Rabbi David Baron, Chair of the Clergy Cabinet of the Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal Commemoration Committee and spiritual leader of the Temple of the Arts.
Shimon Peres was born in Poland in 1923 and his family emigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934. Peres went on to serve in several high-level cabinet positions in the Israeli government, including as Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, and Prime Minister – a career in public service that spans over 70 years. A member of Israel’s founding generation, he was elected president in 2007. He celebrated his 90th birthday on August 2, 2013.