US HB1626

Awards a Congressional Gold Medal to Edward J. Dwight, Jr., the first African-American astronaut candidate in the United States, recognizing his historic service, excellence during times of racism, and contributions to art and Black history

Dwight was selected by President Kennedy in 1961 for astronaut training at Edwards Air Force Base, completed experimental test pilot and aerospace research pilot courses, and accumulated over 9,000 flight hours including 2,000 in high-performance jets

After leaving the Air Force in 1966, Dwight earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Denver in 1977 and became one of the nation's most prolific sculptors, creating notable bronze series on African Americans in the American West and the history of jazz

The Space Force inducted Dwight as an honorary member in August 2020 and presented him with the Commander's Public Service Award; an asteroid was named after him in 2021

Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates at cost, with proceeds deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund