[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3628 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3628

  To authorize the President to present posthumously a gold medal on 
   behalf of the Congress to Sammy Davis, Jr. in recognition of his 
                achievements and service to the Nation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 2002

   Mr. Hastings of Florida introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the President to present posthumously a gold medal on 
   behalf of the Congress to Sammy Davis, Jr. in recognition of his 
                achievements and service to the Nation.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sammy Davis, Jr. Recognition Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Sammy Davis, Jr. was born on December 8, 1925, in New 
        York City, the son of vaudevillian Sam Davis and Chorine Elvera 
        Sanchez.
            (2) Sammy Davis, Jr. was trained in vaudeville, and also 
        appeared in Broadway musicals and in movies and television.
            (3) Sammy Davis, Jr. was tutored in tap dancing by the 
        legendary Bill ``Bojangles'' Robinson.
            (4) In 1930, at the age of 5, Sammy Davis, Jr. joined his 
        family's touring group, the Will Mastin Trio in a heavy 
        schedule of singing, dancing, and doing impressions in hotels 
        and night clubs, and unlike many young stars of successful 
        groups, he didn't break away on his own, but remained with the 
        family trio for 20 years.
            (5) With the vaudeville circuit virtually dead, Sammy 
        Davis, Jr. spent years appearing in nightclubs in Hollywood and 
        the new desert oasis of Las Vegas.
            (6) Growing up in the years of rigid segregation, Sammy 
        Davis, Jr. was an active supporter of the civil rights movement 
        throughout his life.
            (7) Sammy Davis, Jr. left behind a rich body of work 
        including 40 albums and more than 20 films, including his 
        portrayal of Sportin' Life in the 1959 film ``Porgy and Bess'' 
        and his role as a veteran hoofer in his last movie ``Tap'' in 
        1989.
            (8) Sammy Davis, Jr. had an amazing number of live 
        performances in such shows as ``Mr. Wonderful'', which ran for 
        383 performances and was followed by ``Golden Boy'' which 
        clocked an impressive 569 performances.
            (9) Sammy Davis, Jr. was also the author of 2 
        autobiographies, ``Yes I Can'' and ``Why Me?''.
            (10) Sammy Davis, Jr. continued to perform in clubs and 
        theaters and during the last few years of his life was the 
        subject of many tributes, including a star-studded television 
        bash which marked his 60th year in show business and induction 
        into the Tap Dancing Hall of Fame.
            (11) Sammy Davis, Jr. was a versatile and dynamic singer, 
        dancer, and actor who overcame extraordinary obstacles to 
        become a leading American entertainer.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President may present 
posthumously, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate 
design to a surviving family member of Sammy Davis, Jr.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the presentation 
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, 
to be determined by the Secretary.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATES.

    The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such 
regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a price sufficient 
to cover the costs thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of 
machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the bronze medal.

SEC. 5. STATUS AS NATIONAL MEDALS.

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

SEC. 6. FUNDING.

    (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be 
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount 
not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the costs of the medals authorized by 
this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the United States 
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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