This bill authorizes Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 30 workers who died in two tragic explosions at the Thiokol Chemical Plant in Woodbine, Georgia—a catastrophic blast on February 3, 1971, that killed 29 people (mostly African American women), plus one additional worker who died in a separate accident in 1973. These civilian contractors were manufacturing essential military munitions and rocket components during the Vietnam War and their deaths remain among the deadliest industrial accidents in U.S. history. The bill recognizes their sacrifice and contribution to the nation, noting that the disaster prompted major reforms in workplace safety, emergency medical services, and industrial regulations, including the creation of OSHA. The Treasury Department will design and strike a single gold medal to be displayed at the Thiokol Memorial Museum, and may also produce and sell duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs. No specific funding appropriation is required beyond what the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund already covers.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.