What part of Article I Section 8 gives Congress the authority to expend government funds to award such posthumous medals? Even given the most stretchy expansion of the elastic clause, I don't see it. To be sure, if Congress decided to discuss the issue 'off the clock', and fund such a medal entirely through private donations, there wouldn't be anything unconstutional about that, but I don't think that's what they were trying to do.
I'll admit, though, that what I really would have liked would have been for Ron Paul to push for extended discussion of the medal, since Congress probably spent less on the medal than it would normally spend during the time they discussed it. Too bad Congress can't spend more of its time on such things.
supercat, if you want to support Ron Paul, be my guest. Like I say, I voted for him in November.
Disband NASA, the Air Force, and all our military satellites. The important thing is have this country forever trapped into the world of the late 1700s unless we're forever amending the Constitution INSTEAD OF UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLES IT WAS SETTING OUT.