HR 1427: Congress; pass Thiokol Memorial Gold Medical Act; urge

This resolution recalls the February 3, 1971 explosion at the Thiokol Chemical Plant in Woodbine, Georgia, which killed 29 workers making trip flares for the Vietnam War, and a 1973 mortar shell explosion at the same plant that killed a 30th worker. It describes the scale of the rescue effort and notes the disaster ranks among the worst industrial accidents in U.S. history. The resolution states that U.S. Representative Buddy Carter introduced a federal bill in 2026, the Thiokol Memorial Gold Medal Act, to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 30 people who died. The Georgia House of Representatives uses this resolution to formally urge Congress to pass that federal bill. It also directs the Clerk of the House to send copies of the resolution to the President, Vice President, the Speaker of the U.S. House, and Georgia's congressional delegation.

• Formally urges the U.S. Congress to enact the Thiokol Memorial Gold Medal Act, a federal bill honoring 30 workers who died at the Woodbine Thiokol plant.
• Directs the Clerk of the Georgia House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States.
• Directs distribution of copies to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and to each member of Georgia's congressional delegation.
• Recites the historical record of the 1971 and 1973 explosions as the basis for the request to Congress.

This resolution primarily affects the families and memory of the 30 Thiokol plant workers who died, members of Georgia's congressional delegation who receive the resolution, and Congress itself as the body being asked to act. It has no direct legal effect on other Georgians.

Because this is a resolution rather than a law, it does not itself award any medal or change any statute. Its practical effect is to put the Georgia House of Representatives on record supporting the federal Thiokol Memorial Gold Medal Act and to formally notify federal officials of that support.

• Recounts that the February 3, 1971 explosion at the Woodbine Thiokol plant killed 29 workers during trip flare manufacturing for the Vietnam War.
• Notes a 1973 mortar shell explosion at the same plant killed a 30th worker, Joseph E. Wainright.
• States the resolved clause: the House urges Congress to enact the Thiokol Memorial Gold Medal Act, which would award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 30 deceased workers.
• Directs the Clerk of the House to send copies to the President, Vice President, the Speaker of the U.S. House, and Georgia's congressional delegation.

1. 2026-02-25House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2026-02-24House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2026-02-20House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Steven Sainz (R, HD-180)Patrocinador principal
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• Inga Willis (D, HD-055)
• Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)
• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)

• Thiokol plant explosion
• Congressional Gold Medal
• Woodbine Georgia history
• Vietnam War munitions workers
• worker safety