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WASHINGTON—On Wednesday, January 17, leaders of the U.S. House and Senate will present a Congressional Gold Medal to former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole in recognition of his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman.
Robert Joseph “Bob” Dole was born on July 22, 1923, in Russell, Kansas. In 1942, while away at college, he enlisted in the United States Army to serve during World War II, where he suffered devastating injuries while trying to help a fellow soldier. He was later awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his service during the war. Later, he went on to represent the state of Kansas in the United States Congress from 1961 until 1996—eight years in the United States House of Representatives, followed by 27 years in the United States Senate. During his 35 years in Congress, Senator Dole was a strong advocate for the disabled, prioritizing policy over partisanship to achieve significant Social Security reforms and advance the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since his time in Congress, Senator Dole has continued to selflessly serve the American public—especially our nation’s veterans.
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will take part in the bipartisan, bicameral ceremony.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor the United States can bestow. In accordance with Public Law No:115-60, a single gold medal has been struck to honor Senator Dole.
The ceremony will take place at 3:00 p.m. ET in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol and will be live-streamed on speaker.gov/live. For more on the history of the Congressional Gold Medal, check out this behind-the-scenes video.
