[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3373 Received in Senate (RDS)]
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3373
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 17, 1999
Received
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in conjunction
with the minting of coins by the Republic of Iceland in commemoration
of the millennium of the discovery of the New World by Leif Ericson.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I--LEIF ERICSON MILLENNIUM COMMEMORATIVE COIN
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Leif Ericson Millennium
Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 102. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) $1 Silver Coins.--In conjunction with the simultaneous minting
and issuance of commemorative coins by the Republic of Iceland in
commemoration of the millennium of the discovery of the New World by
Leif Ericson, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this title
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more than
500,000 1 dollar coins, which shall--
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
(b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this title shall be legal
tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5136 of title 31,
United States Code, all coins minted under this title shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 103. SOURCES OF BULLION.
The Secretary may obtain silver for minting coins under this title
from any available source, including stockpiles established under the
Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act.
SEC. 104. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
title shall be emblematic of the millennium of the discovery of
the New World by Leif Ericson.
(2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this title there shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ``2000''; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God
We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E
Pluribus Unum''.
(b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this title
shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the
Leifur Eiriksson Foundation and the Commission of Fine Arts;
and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory
Committee.
SEC. 105. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this title shall be
issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Mint Facility.--Only one facility of the United States Mint may
be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this
title.
(c) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted
under this title beginning January 1, 2000.
(d) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins may be minted under
this title after December 31, 2000.
SEC. 106. SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this title shall
include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
(b) Distribution.--All surcharges received by the Secretary from
the sale of coins issued under this title shall be promptly paid by the
Secretary to the Leifur Eiriksson Foundation for the purpose of funding
student exchanges between students of the United States and students of
Iceland.
(c) Audits.--The Leifur Eiriksson Foundation shall be subject to
the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States
Code, with regard to the amounts received by the Foundation under
subsection (b).
SEC. 107. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no provision
of law governing procurement or public contracts shall be applicable to
the procurement of goods and services necessary for carrying out the
provisions of this title.
(b) Equal Employment Opportunity.--Subsection (a) shall not relieve
any person entering into a contract under the authority of this title
from complying with any law relating to equal employment opportunity.
TITLE II--CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER COMMEMORATIVE COIN
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``United States Capitol Visitor
Center Commemorative Coin Act of 1999''.
SEC. 202. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) Congress moved to Washington, District of Columbia, and
first convened in the Capitol building in the year 1800;
(2) the Capitol building is now the greatest visible symbol
of representative democracy in the world;
(3) the Capitol building has approximately 5,000,000
visitors annually and suffers from a lack of facilities
necessary to properly serve them;
(4) the Capitol building and persons within the Capitol
have been provided with excellent security through the
dedication and sacrifice of the United States Capitol Police;
(5) Congress has appropriated $100,000,000, to be
supplemented with private funds, to construct a Capitol Visitor
Center to provide continued high security for the Capitol and
enhance the educational experience of visitors to the Capitol;
(6) Congress would like to offer the opportunity for all
persons to voluntarily participate in raising funds for the
Capitol Visitor Center; and
(7) it is appropriate to authorize coins commemorating the
first convening of the Congress in the Capitol building with
proceeds from the sale of the coins, less expenses, being
deposited for the United States Capitol Preservation Commission
with the specific purpose of aiding in the construction,
maintenance, and preservation of a Capitol Visitor Center.
SEC. 203. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in
this title referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the
following coins under this title:
(1) Bimetallic coins.--Not more than 200,000 $10 bimetallic
coins of gold and platinum, in accordance with such
specifications as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent
copper.
(3) Half dollar.--Not more than 750,000 half dollar clad
coins, each of which--
(A) shall weigh 11.34 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
(C) be minted to the specifications for half dollar
coins contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United
States Code.
(b) $5 Gold Coins.--If the Secretary determines that the minting
and issuance of bimetallic coins under subsection (a)(1) is not
feasible, the Secretary may mint and issue instead not more than
100,000 $5 coins, which shall--
(1) weigh 8.359 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
(c) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this title shall be legal
tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 204. SOURCES OF BULLION.
(a) Platinum and Gold.--The Secretary shall obtain platinum and
gold for minting coins under this title from available sources.
(b) Silver.--The Secretary may obtain silver for minting coins
under this title from stockpiles established under the Strategic and
Critical Materials Stock Piling Act, and from other available sources.
SEC. 205. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
title shall be emblematic of the first meeting of the United
States Congress in the United States Capitol Building.
(2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this title, there shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ``2001''; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God
We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E
Pluribus Unum''.
(b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this title
shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the
United States Capitol Preservation Commission (in this title
referred to as the ``Commission'') and the Commission of Fine
Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory
Committee.
SEC. 206. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this title shall be
issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Mint Facility.--Only 1 facility of the United States Mint may
be used to strike any particular combination of denomination and
quality of the coins minted under this title.
(c) First Use of Year 2001 Date.--The coins minted under this title
shall be the first commemorative coins of the United States to be
issued bearing the inscription of the year ``2001''.
(d) Promotion Consultation.--The Secretary shall--
(1) consult with the Commission in order to establish a
role for the Commission or an entity designated by the
Commission in the promotion, advertising, and marketing of the
coins minted under this title; and
(2) if the Secretary determines that such action would be
beneficial to the sale of coins minted under this title, enter
into a contract with the Commission or an entity referred to in
paragraph (1) to carry out the role established under paragraph
(1).
SEC. 207. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins minted under this title shall be sold by
the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in subsection (d) with respect
to such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, and shipping).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins
issued under this title at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for the coins minted under this title before the issuance of
such coins.
(2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
(d) Surcharges.--All sales under this title shall include a
surcharge established by the Secretary, in an amount equal to not more
than--
(1) $50 per coin for the $10 coin or $35 per coin for the
$5 coin;
(2) $10 per coin for the $1 coin; and
(3) $3 per coin for the half dollar coin.
SEC. 208. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.
All surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins
minted under this title shall be deposited in the Capitol Preservation
Fund in accordance with section 5134(f) of title 31, United States
Code, and shall be made available to the Commission for the purpose of
aiding in the construction, maintenance, and preservation of a Capitol
Visitor Center.
TITLE III--LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION COMMEMORATIVE COIN
SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Lewis and Clark Expedition
Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 302. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) the expedition commanded by Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark, which came to be called ``The Corps of
Discovery'', was one of the most remarkable and productive
scientific and military exploring expeditions in all American
history;
(2) President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark the
mission to ``explore the Missouri River & such principal stream
of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of
the Pacific Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado, or
any other river may offer the most direct and practical water
communication across this continent for the purposes of
commerce'';
(3) the Expedition, in response to President Jefferson's
directive, greatly advanced our geographical knowledge of the
continent and prepared the way for the extension of the
American fur trade with American Indian tribes throughout the
land;
(4) President Jefferson directed the explorers to take note
of and carefully record the natural resources of the newly
acquired territory known as Louisiana, as well as diligently
report on the native inhabitants of the land;
(5) the Expedition departed St. Louis, Missouri on May 14,
1804;
(6) the Expedition held its first meeting with American
Indians at Council Bluff near present-day Fort Calhoun,
Nebraska, in August 1804, spent its first winter at Fort
Mandan, North Dakota, crossed the Rocky Mountains by the mouth
of the Columbia River in mid-November of that year, and
wintered at Fort Clatsop, near the present-day city of Astoria,
Oregon;
(7) the Expedition returned to St. Louis, Missouri, on
September 23, 1806, after a 28-month journey covering 8,000
miles during which it traversed 11 future States: Illinois,
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon;
(8) accounts from the journals of Lewis and Clark and the
detailed maps that were prepared by the Expedition enhance
knowledge of the western continent and routes for commerce;
(9) the Expedition significantly enhanced amicable
relationships between the United States and the autonomous
American Indian nations, and the friendship and respect
fostered between American Indian tribes and the Expedition
represents the best of diplomacy and relationships between
divergent nations and cultures; and
(10) the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been called the
most perfect expedition of its kind in the history of the world
and paved the way for the United States to become a great world
power.
SEC. 303. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denomination.--In commemoration of the bicentennial of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in
this title referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not
more than 500,000 $1 coins, each of which shall--
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
(b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this title shall be legal
tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5136 of title 31,
United States Code, all coins minted under this title shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 304. SOURCES OF BULLION.
The Secretary may obtain silver for minting coins under this title
from any available source, including stockpiles established under the
Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act.
SEC. 305. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
title shall be emblematic of the expedition of Lewis and Clark.
(2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this title there shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ``2004'' and the
years ``1804-1806''; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God
We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E
Pluribus Unum''.
(3) Obverse of coin.--The obverse of each coin minted under
this title shall bear the likeness of Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark.
(4) General design.--In designing this coin, the Secretary
shall also consider incorporating appropriate elements from the
Jefferson Peace and Friendship Medal which Lewis and Clark
presented to the Chiefs of the various Indian tribes they
encountered and shall consider recognizing Native American
culture.
(b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this title
shall be selected by the Secretary after consultation with the
Commission of Fine Arts and shall be reviewed by the Citizens
Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee.
SEC. 306. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this title shall be
issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Mint Facility.--Only one facility of the United States Mint may
be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this
title.
(c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted
under this title only during the period beginning on January 1, 2004,
and ending on December 31, 2004.
SEC. 307. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this title shall be sold by
the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in subsection (d) with respect
to such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, and shipping).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins
issued under this title at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for the coins minted under this title before the issuance of
such coins.
(2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
(d) Surcharges.--All sales of coins minted under this title shall
include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
SEC. 308. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, the proceeds from the surcharges received by the Secretary
from the sale of coins issued under this title shall be promptly paid
by the Secretary as follows:
(1) National lewis and clark bicentennial council.--Two-
thirds to the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council,
for activities associated with commemorating the bicentennial
of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
(2) National park service.--One-third to the National Park
Service for activities associated with commemorating the
bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
(b) Audits.--Each organization that receives any payment from the
Secretary under this section shall be subject to the audit requirements
of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 309. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
(a) No Net Cost to the Government.--The Secretary shall take such
actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting and issuing coins
under this title will not result in any net cost to the United States
Government.
(b) Payment for Coins.--A coin shall not be issued under this title
unless the Secretary has received--
(1) full payment for the coin;
(2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to indemnify the
United States for full payment; or
(3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to the
Secretary from a depository institution whose deposits are
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the
National Credit Union Administration Board.
Passed the House of Representatives November 16, 1999.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.