[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1717 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1717
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Korean immigration into
the United States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 20, 2005
Mr. Andrews (for himself, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Berman,
Mr. Crowley, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mr. Farr, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr.
Gutierrez, Ms. Harman, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Lewis of Georgia,
Mrs. Maloney, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Pallone, Ms.
Pelosi, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Rush, Mr. Saxton, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Shimkus, Mr.
Towns, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Watson, and Mr. Weiner) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial
Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Korean immigration into
the United States.
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 ``Korean Immigration Commemorative
Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) January 13, 2003, marked the 100th anniversary of the
first wave of Korean immigration to the United States.
(2) More than 100 Korean American communities throughout
this Nation commemorated this important event.
(3) According to immigration records, in December 1902, 56
men, 21 women, and 25 children left Korea and sailed across the
Pacific Ocean aboard the S.S. Gaelic, landing in Honolulu,
Hawaii, on January 13, 1903.
(4) These early Korean immigrants worked at sugar cane and
pineapple fields in Hawaii.
(5) Since that 1st voyage, approximately 1,000,000 Koreans
have immigrated to the United States.
(6) Korean Americans have served with distinction in the
U.S. Armed Forces during every war and conflict in which the
United States is or was involved from World War I through the
war in the Persian Gulf and beyond.
(7) Korean Americans have taken root and thrived in the
United States through strong family ties, robust community
support, and countless hours of hard work.
(8) Korean immigrants have invigorated business, church,
and academic communities throughout the United States and
Korean Americans have also established themselves as important
members in the medical, legal, financial, and governmental
professions.
(9) The strategic partnership between the United States and
Korea has helped undergird peace and stability in the Asian
Pacific region and has provided economic benefits to not only
the peoples of the United States and Korea, but to the entire
world.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) $1 Silver Coins.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in
this Act 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 Act shall be legal
tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of title 31,
United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered
to be numismatic items.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
Act shall be emblematic of the immigration of Koreans into the
United States and the significant contributions of Korean
Americans to this Nation.
(2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this Act there shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ``2011''; 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 Act
shall be selected by the Secretary after consultation with the
Commission of Fine Arts.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued
in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted
under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1,
2011.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price
equal to the face value, plus the cost of designing and issuing such
coins (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead
expenses, and marketing).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins
issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders at a Discount.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of such
coins.
(2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
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