# Plain Language Summary: Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill honors a group of women volunteers who served with the Red Cross during the Vietnam War. Between 1965 and 1973, about 627 young women participated in the Red Cross's Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas program—nicknamed the "Donut Dollies"—traveling to military bases across Vietnam to provide entertainment, companionship, and morale support to American soldiers. These women visited combat zones, traveled thousands of miles monthly by jeep, truck, and helicopter, and shared the same dangers as the troops they served. Three of them died in Vietnam while performing their duties. The bill recognizes their service by awarding them a Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest civilian honors the United States can bestow.

The practical effect of this bill is straightforward: Congress will authorize the U.S. Mint to create a special gold medal commemorating the Donut Dollies' service and sacrifice. The main medal will eventually be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where it will be available for public viewing and research. The bill also allows the Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicate copies of the medal to the public, with any profits going back to cover the costs of making the medals. The bill encourages the Smithsonian to loan the medal to other locations associated with the Donut Dollies' legacy so more people can see it.

This is primarily a symbolic gesture of national gratitude rather than a bill that creates new laws or directly affects most Americans' daily lives. However, it does officially recognize the contributions of these volunteers, many of whom have never received public acknowledgment for their service and sacrifice during one of America's most controversial wars. For the surviving Donut Dollies and their families, it represents long-overdue recognition of their courage and dedication.