Lance Corporal Dustin Sekula Congressional Gold Medal Act

119th Congress Introduced by Monica De La Cruz and 1 co-sponsor

Posthumously award Dustin Sekula the Congressional Gold Medal and authorize design, funding, and bronze duplicates for public commemoration.

Introduced in House

Overview

HR 8963, introduced in the 119th Congress on May 21, 2026, seeks to posthumously award Lance Corporal Dustin Sekula of Edinburg, Texas, with the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his heroic life and service. The bill designates arrangements for presentation, design and striking of the medal, and related funding and disposition of duplicates.

Purpose and intent

Provide a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to Dustin Sekula, honoring his life and military service.

Acknowledge Sekula as Edinburg’s war hero and the first Edinburg native killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Honor the memory of Sekula through a formal Congressional recognition and public commemoration.

Key provisions

Section 3: Congressional Gold Medal presentation

The Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall arrange for the posthumous presentation of a gold medal to Sekula’s family, on behalf of Congress.
The Secretary of the Treasury is tasked with designing and striking the medal, including emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary.

Section 4: Duplicate medals

The Secretary may strike and sell bronze duplicates of the gold medal at a price sufficient to cover costs (labor, materials, dies, machinery, overhead).

Section 5: Status of medals

The medals are national medals for purposes of Chapter 51 of Title 31 U.S. Code.
For purposes of Sections 5134 and 5136 of Title 31, the medals are considered numismatic items.

Section 6: Financing and proceeds

Authorization to use funds from the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund to cover the costs of striking the medals.
Proceeds from the sale of duplicate bronze medals would be deposited back into the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

Who is affected

Dustin Sekula’s family receives the posthumous Congressional Gold Medal.

The U.S. Mint, Treasury, and congressional leadership (House Speaker, Senate President pro tempore) are involved in design, funding, and ceremonial arrangements.

Public and collectors may be able to purchase bronze duplicates, with proceeds benefiting the Mint’s Public Enterprise Fund.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Referral: The bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Status: Introduced and pending committee action as of the provided record.

Timing: The bill outlines the ceremonial and design process but does not specify a fixed date for presentation beyond requiring arrangements be made by congressional leadership.

Notable details

The bill contains biographical findings about Dustin Sekula, including his birth in 1985, enlistment at age 17, service as a mortarman in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, and his death in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in 2004.

It acknowledges local significance, including the Dustin Sekula Memorial Library in Edinburg, Texas, and the large turnout at his funeral.

This summary provides the bill’s objective, core provisions, affected parties, and key procedural elements, without interpretation or political bias.