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≡ “MIRACLE ON ICE” MEDAL ≡
The unforgettable U.S. ice hockey win over the USSR at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York is now close to having a special commemoration in the form of a Congressional Gold Medal.
A bill to create and award the medals was introduced on 15 January 2025 in both the U.S. House (H.R. 452) and the U.S. Senate (S. 94). It was approved by a voice vote in the House on 28 April with that version sent to the Senate for approval.
The House version was offered in the Senate and with some minor changes, SA 3828 was approved by unanimous consent on Monday (8th) and sent to the House to confirm the changes and send the bill for signature by President Donald Trump.
Three copies of the medal are to be struck, and sent for display to the Lake Placid Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York, to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota, and to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
As 12 of the 20 members of the U.S. team listed in the bill were from Minnesota, the state’s Congressional delegation was at the forefront of promoting it. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a statement:
“The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team made all Americans believe in miracles.
“It’s time for Congress to recognize this legendary team, which included 12 players and head coach Herb Brooks from Minnesota, for their Miracle on Ice and award them the Congressional Gold Medal.”
Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith added:
“The ‘Miracle on Ice’ hockey game was an upset that nobody saw coming – but one that showcases the strength and resilience of Americans in the face of adversity.
“More than half of the team was from Minnesota, so I am proud this legislation to honor their achievement passed the Senate.”
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award presented by the U.S. Congress, first awarded by the Second Continental Congress to Gen. George Washington, in 1776. Multiple athletes have been honored, with the late Puerto Rican baseball star Roberto Clemente the first, in 1973. The 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, not allowed to compete in Moscow in 1980, received Congressional Gold Medals and in 1988, Congress awarded a Congressional Gold Medal to 1936 Olympic hero Jesse Owens.
Those interested may be able to buy a bronze copy of the Miracle on Ice medal, as the bill states:
“The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.”
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