Congress honors civil rights pioneer Constance Baker Motley with gold medal
S. 2784 — Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 · Filed by Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) · 29 cosponsors · Introduced Sep 11, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill authorizes Congress to award a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering civil rights attorney and federal judge who died in 2005. The medal will be presented to her son and niece, and the U.S. Mint may strike and sell bronze duplicates to recover costs.
Why we flagged it
This is a straightforward Congressional Gold Medal bill honoring a deceased civil rights pioneer and federal judge. It contains no policy changes, regulatory provisions, or substantive legislation—only authorization for a commemorative medal and cost-recovery provisions for bronze duplicates.
Who it affects
This is a commemorative measure honoring a deceased public servant whose life and work advanced civil rights and judicial integrity. The bill imposes no restrictions on citizens' rights, no new costs to taxpayers (duplicate sales offset minting costs), and serves a legitimate public purpose of recognizing historical achievement.