Nick Shirley Congressional Gold Medal Act
Summary
The Nick Shirley Congressional Gold Medal Act aims to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Nick Shirley for his investigative journalism, specifically uncovering fraud against U.S. taxpayers in Minnesota. The bill highlights Shirley's work in exposing over $110 million in fraud and the subsequent halting of federal funding to fraudulent businesses by President Trump. It also expresses the sense of Congress that Shirley demonstrated bravery, integrity, and dedication to constitutional principles.
Expected Effects
If enacted, this bill would result in the creation and presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Nick Shirley. The Secretary of the Treasury would be responsible for designing and striking the medal, and the United States Mint would expedite its production. Duplicate bronze medals would also be made available for sale to the public.
Potential Benefits
- Recognizes and honors investigative journalism that exposes government fraud and abuse.
- Reinforces the importance of holding public officials accountable.
- Potentially encourages more investigative journalism.
- Could lead to greater scrutiny of government spending and programs.
- Symbolically rewards actions that align with the principles of transparency and accountability.
Potential Disadvantages
- The cost of producing the gold medal and duplicates would be borne by the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
- Could be perceived as setting a precedent for awarding medals based on specific instances of investigative journalism, potentially leading to subjective decisions.
- May be seen as politically motivated, depending on the individual and the nature of the exposed fraud.
- Could create a sense of favoritism or bias if other deserving individuals are not similarly recognized.
- The focus on a single individual might overshadow the efforts of other journalists or investigators working on similar issues.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill aligns with the principles of government transparency and accountability, which are implicit in the Constitution's structure. The First Amendment protects freedom of the press, and this bill could be seen as supporting that freedom by recognizing investigative journalism. However, the Constitution does not explicitly address the awarding of Congressional Gold Medals, leaving it to the discretion of Congress. Article I, Section 8 grants Congress the power to coin money and regulate its value, which is related to the creation of medals by the Mint.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).