Henrietta Lacks Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal for Henrietta Lacks to recognize her immortal HeLa cells' foundational role in medical research. It directs the Treasury Secretary to strike the medal and transfer it to the Smithsonian Institution for public display, with a provision for the Smithsonian to make it available at locations connected to Lacks. The medal commemorates how her cells enabled breakthroughs like the polio vaccine and cancer treatments, advancing global health and bioethics. The bill does not create new legal obligations or provide financial compensation to her family, focusing solely on ceremonial recognition.