1. Short title This Act may be cited as the General James N. Mattis Congressional Gold Medal Act . 2. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) James N. Mattis was born in Pullman, Washington, on September 8, 1950. (2) James N. Mattis graduated from Columbia High School in 1968 and began his military career the following year, enlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. (3) In 1971, James N. Mattis earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Central Washington State College. He earned a Master of Arts in international security affairs from National Defense University’s National War College in 1994. (4) On January 1, 1972, James N. Mattis was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course. As a lieutenant, he commanded infantry platoons and, as a captain, commanded both rifle and weapons companies in the 1st Marine Brigade in Hawaii. Promoted to major, he served as battalion officer at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island, and commanded Recruiting Station Portland, Oregon. (5) During the Gulf War, James N. Mattis served as lieutenant colonel and commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. Promoted to colonel, he commanded the 7th Marine Regiment at Twentynine Palms, California, and served as the Executive Secretary to the Department of Defense for Secretaries William Perry and Bill Cohen. (6) Following the September 11, 2001, attacks on America, then-Brigadier General James N. Mattis led Task Force 58 through a series of operations in southern Afghanistan, making him the first United States Marine Corps officer to command a Naval Task Force. (7) James N. Mattis, as major general, commanded the 1st Marine Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He continued in this role until 2004, when he was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed command of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command. The Pentagon announced on May 31, 2006, that he was chosen to take command of the I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp