Bill Overview
Title: Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act
Description: This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Willie O'Ree or, if unavailable, to a member of his family, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and recreational opportunity. The amounts received from the sale of duplicate medals shall be deposited in the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Sponsors: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Target Audience
Population: People directly impacted by the Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act
Estimated Size: 500
- The primary impacted individual is Willie O'Ree as the award is being given to him or his family.
- Others potentially impacted include his family if Willie O'Ree is unavailable to receive the medal.
- Hockey enthusiasts and community members who value diversity and inclusion in sports may be positively affected by the recognition of Willie O'Ree's contributions.
- Fans and followers of the awarding ceremony or congressional recognitions may be indirectly impacted.
- This award may promote increased awareness and appreciation for diversity in sports, thereby impacting the broader hockey community and sports diversity initiatives.
Reasoning
- The Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act primarily impacts Willie O'Ree and his family, who are the direct beneficiaries of the award. Given that it's a recognition and not a financial policy, its direct impact is limited to non-material value, such as visibility and acknowledgment.
- The broader hockey community and those involved in sports diversity efforts might experience indirect benefits through increased awareness and motivation. These are harder to quantify but can be reflected in subjective measures like wellbeing.
- Fans and individuals engaged in similar diversity and inclusion initiatives may also feel encouraged, though this influence is more diffused and symbolic.
- Due to the limited tangible benefits and the symbolic nature of the medal, the projected direct impact on most individuals' day-to-day wellbeing in practical terms is low to none. However, the psychological impact of recognition can still be significant for relevant communities.
- Given the explicitly limited budget and the estimated primary impacted population of 500 people, the policy is impactful in terms of symbolism but does not materially alter circumstances for most except for O'Ree's immediate circle.
Simulated Interviews
Retired professional hockey player (San Diego, CA)
Age: 85 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm honored to be recognized with such a prestigious award. It's not just about me, but a recognition of the importance of diversity in sports.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Youth hockey coach (Portland, ME)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Seeing Willie O'Ree recognized encourages me and the kids I coach to continue promoting inclusivity in hockey.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Sports journalist (Boston, MA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a positive step towards acknowledging trailblazers in sports. It's stories like this that inspire me to keep advocating for change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
NHL fan and diversity advocate (Detroit, MI)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Recognition like this shows progress, but there is so much more to be done. It's a small victory.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Hockey equipment salesperson (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- O'Ree's medal brings attention to his story, and I hope it pushes for more funding and support for minority teams.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College hockey player (Chicago, IL)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's motivating to see diversity get recognized at such a high level, though it doesn't change daily challenges.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
LGBTQ+ sports advocate (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 41 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This medal is emblematic, but it reminds us that representation is needed in all sports, not just hockey.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
IT specialist (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I like to see recognition given, this doesn’t really affect my life, just my interest in hockey history.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
High school teacher (Minneapolis, MN)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a wonderful acknowledgment, though my students and I know there's more ground to cover in school sports.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Manager at a hockey sports goods store (Pittsburgh, PA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's nice to see recognition being celebrated, but unfortunately doesn't change much for the ground reality in sales.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000 (Low: $25000, High: $40000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The primary concern is the recognition of Willie O'Ree's contributions, which carries symbolic weight rather than substantial financial impact.
- Sale of duplicate medals could slightly offset the cost of producing the gold medal.