Thompson's Bill to Award Congressional Gold Medal to Greg LeMond Passes the House

Washington – Today Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced that his bipartisan bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to cyclist Greg LeMond has passed the House. This bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. A statement from Thompson and LeMond are below.

"Greg LeMond is a world-renowned cyclist and one of the greatest American athletes in history. The only American to win the Tour de France, LeMond's career has been marked by victory after victory, selfless support for his teammates, and incredible comebacks, all while maintaining the highest standards of healthy athletics and clean competition. His career embodied some of our most cherished values – selflessness, perseverance, excellence, and sportsmanship – and LeMond has spent his life supporting children and young people, ensuring many others can experience the joy of cycling. Today I'm proud the House passed my bill to honor Greg LeMond's lifetime of success, both as a cyclist and a stellar member of our community."

"I am truly humbled to be recognized for my career by the U.S. House of Representatives. Cycling changed my life for the better and I've been proud to help bring this great sport to so many across our nation. For years, it's been my deep honor to represent the United States on the world stage," said LeMond. "I hope this award continues to bring cycling to many more as the sport has the potential to help everyone be healthier and more active. The bike plays an important role in our modern mobility and infrastructure, and it can only get better from here."

You can click here to read Thompson's bill honoring LeMond and outlining his long and celebrated career as a cyclist and activist. The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian awards in our nation and seeks to honor those "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement." These medals are only awarded through Acts of Congress and the bills must be co-sponsored by two thirds of the membership of both the House and the Senate before being considered for a vote. Other athletes who have been awarded this prestigious medal include Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Jackie Robinson, and Jesse Owens.

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where he chairs the Subcommittee on Tax Policy. Rep. Thompson is Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He is also Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus and a member of the fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Coalition.