WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to the House Majority Leader’s Weekly schedule, legislation authored by Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) and U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) to award former Kansas U.S. Senator Robert J. Dole with the Congressional Gold Medal is headed to the House floor for a vote next week.

“I am very pleased to see the House is acting quickly to bring this legislation up for a vote,” said Congresswoman Jenkins. “Senator Dole has spent his life serving this great country, I could not think of a more deserving person to be honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. I look forward to passing this legislation with strong bipartisan support and getting it to the President’s desk.”

“I urge my House colleagues to join the Kansas delegation and the entire Senate in honoring Bob Dole with the Congressional Gold Medal,” Senator Roberts said. “Senator Dole’s service to our nation continues to be worthy of national recognition and gratitude.”

The Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal Act, was introduced on July 24, 2017. An accomplishment rare in the Senate, Senator Roberts secured the co-sponsorship of the remaining 99 senators and the bill was unanimously approved by the Senate on August 3, 2017.

The bill awards Sen. Dole the Congressional Gold Medal in “recognition for his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator and statesman.” It is the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. It is the most distinguished honor and the highest civilian honor given by the Congress. The legislation must be cosponsored by two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House.  

Rep. Jenkins introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. Currently, it has more than 80 bipartisan cosponsors, including the entire Kansas delegation: Reps. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) and Ron Estes (R-Kan.).

If the bill is passed by the House of Representatives, it goes to the President to be signed into law.  

The full text of the legislation can he found here.