[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3642 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 3642


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 22, 2000

                                Received

                           February 24, 2000

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the 
 Congress to Charles M. Schulz in recognition of his lasting artistic 
               contributions to the Nation and the world.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Charles M. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in St. 
        Paul, Minnesota, the son of Carl and Dena Schulz.
            (2) Charles M. Schulz served his country in World War II, 
        working his way up from infantryman to staff sergeant and 
        eventually leading a machine gun squad. He kept morale high by 
        decorating fellow soldiers' letters home with cartoons of 
        barracks life.
            (3) After returning from the war, Charles M. Schulz 
        returned to his love for illustration and took a job with 
        ``Timeless Topix''. He also took a second job as an art 
        instructor. Eventually his hard work paid off when the Saturday 
        Evening Post began purchasing a number of his single comic 
        panels.
            (4) It was in his first weekly comic strip, ``L'il Folks'', 
        that Charlie Brown was born. That comic strip, which was 
        eventually renamed ``Peanuts'', became the sole focus of 
        Charles M. Schulz's career.
            (5) Charles M. Schulz has drawn every frame of his strip, 
        which runs seven days a week, since it was created in October 
        1950. This is rare dedication in the field of comic 
        illustration.
            (6) The ``Peanuts'' comic strip appears in 2,600 newspapers 
        around the world and reaches approximately 335 million readers 
        every day in 20 different languages. Because of this, Charles 
        M. Schulz is the most successful comic illustrator in the 
        world.
            (7) Charles M. Schulz's television special, ``A Charlie 
        Brown Christmas'', has run for 34 consecutive years. In all, 
        more than 60 animated specials have been created based on 
        ``Peanuts'' characters. Four feature films, 1,400 books, and a 
        hit Broadway musical about the ``Peanuts'' characters have also 
        been produced.
            (8) Charles M. Schulz is a leader in the field of comic 
        illustration and in his community. He has paved the way for 
        other artists in this field over the last 50 years and 
        continues to be praised for his outstanding achievements.
            (9) Charles M. Schulz has given back to his community in 
        many ways, including owning and operating Redwood Empire Ice 
        Arena in Santa Rosa, California. The arena has become a 
        favorite gathering spot for people of all ages. Charles M. 
        Schulz finances a yearly ice show that draws crowds from all 
        over the San Francisco Bay Area.
            (10) Charles M. Schulz has given the Nation a unique sense 
        of optimism, purpose, and pride. Whether through the Great 
        Pumpkin Patch, the Kite Eating Tree, Lucy's Psychiatric Help 
        Stand, or Snoopy's adventures with the Red Baron, ``Peanuts'' 
        has embodied human vulnerabilities, emotions, and potential.
            (11) Charles M. Schulz's lifetime of work has linked 
        generations of Americans and has become a part of the fabric of 
        our national culture.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized to 
present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design 
to Charles M. Schulz in recognition of his lasting artistic 
contributions to the Nation and the world.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the presentation 
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 
in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal 
with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by 
the Secretary.

SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the 
Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal 
struck under section 2 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the 
medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead 
expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 5. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE.

    (a) Authorization.--There is hereby authorized to be charged 
against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to 
exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medals authorized by this 
Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States 
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 15, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.