# Plain Language Summary: President Jimmy Carter Congressional Gold Medal Act

Congress is awarding a special gold medal to former President Jimmy Carter to honor his lifetime of service to the country. This is a posthumous honor, meaning it's being given after his death. The medal will be designed by the Treasury Department with Jimmy Carter's image and name on it, and once presented, it will be permanently housed at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where his charitable work continues.

The bill recognizes Carter's accomplishments both during and after his presidency. During his time as president from 1977 to 1981, he worked on major foreign policy achievements like the Camp David Accords (which helped bring peace between Egypt and Israel), established diplomatic relations with China, and created the first national energy policy. At home, he created the Departments of Education and Energy and protected millions of acres of Alaskan land through environmental conservation. After leaving office, Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Center, which has worked to eliminate diseases, build homes through Habitat for Humanity, monitor elections worldwide, and resolve conflicts. Their efforts helped reduce Guinea worm disease from 3.5 million cases in 1986 to just 14 cases by 2023. In 2002, Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of work promoting peace, democracy, and human rights.

From a practical standpoint, this bill has minimal impact on everyday Americans. The Treasury Department will create one gold medal at government expense and may also produce bronze duplicate medals that can be sold to the public to cover production costs. The main effect is symbolic—Congress is formally recognizing Carter's contributions to the nation through this prestigious honor.