To authorize the President to posthumously award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to the seven members of the crew of the space shuttle Columbia in recognition of their outstanding and enduring contributions to the Nation.

H.R. 266 is a bipartisan proposal that would authorize the President to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medals to the seven crew members of the space shuttle Columbia who lost their lives during the STS-107 mission in 2003. The bill seeks to formally recognize Rick D. Husband, Michael P. Anderson, Laurel Clark, David M. Brown, William C. McCool, Kalpana Chawla, and Ilan Ramon for their exceptional service and contributions to space exploration. For citizens, this legislation serves as a permanent national tribute to the crew's legacy and ensures their sacrifice is honored with the highest civilian award bestowed by the United States Congress.