# Plain Language Summary: Save our Allies Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill honors seven people—Chad Robichaux, Sarah Verardo, Tim Kennedy, Kevin Rourke, Sean Gabler, Dave Johnson, and Dennis Price—by awarding them Congressional Gold Medals for their role in evacuating over 17,000 people from Afghanistan in 2021. These individuals were mostly former military special operations veterans who, after the U.S. announced its withdrawal from Afghanistan, decided to organize private rescue missions to help Afghan allies and their families escape Taliban-controlled territory. The bill recognizes their efforts as extraordinary acts of heroism and dedication.

The practical effect of this bill is straightforward: Congress will authorize the U.S. Mint to create gold medals honoring these seven individuals. The medals will be presented to them as a formal recognition of their service, and afterward, one medal will be given to the Smithsonian Institution for public display and research. The bill also allows the Mint to create bronze copies of the medal and sell them to the public, with any money from those sales going back into the Mint's budget. The cost of creating the original gold medal will come from the Mint's existing funds, so there's no new taxpayer expense beyond normal government operations.

For everyday Americans, this bill has minimal practical impact—it's essentially Congress saying "thank you" to these individuals through an official honor. The main tangible outcome is that a medal will eventually be displayed at the Smithsonian where the public can see it, serving as a historical record of the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation and the private citizens who stepped in to help during that chaotic period.

Save our Allies Congressional Gold Medal Act

Save our Allies Congressional Gold Medal ActThis bill provides for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Chad Robichaux, Sarah Verardo, Tim Kennedy, Kevin Rourke, Sean Gabler, Dave Johnson, and Dennis Price, in recognition of their exceptional efforts and selfless dedication during the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021, which led the safe evacuation of over 17,000 people from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.Following the presentation of the gold medal, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research.&nbsp;