[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2500 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2500

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration 
     of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 24, 2007

Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas (for herself and Mr. Culberson) 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 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

    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 ``NASA and JPL 50th Anniversary 
Commemorative Coin Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration began 
        operation on October 1, 1958, with about 8,000 employees and an 
        annual budget of $100,000,000.
            (2) Over the next 50 years, the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have 
        been involved in many defining events which have shaped the 
        course of human history and demonstrated to the world the 
        character of the people of the United States.
            (3) Among the many firsts by the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration are the following:
                    (A) On December 6, 1958, the United States launched 
                Pioneer 3, the first United States satellite to ascend 
                to an altitude of 63,580 miles.
                    (B) On March 3, 1959, the United States sent 
                Pioneer 4 to the Moon, successfully making the first 
                United States lunar flyby.
                    (C) On April 1, 1960, the United States launched 
                TIROS 1, the first successful meteorological satellite, 
                observing Earth's weather.
                    (D) On May 5, 1961, Freedom 7, carrying Astronaut 
                Alan B. Shepard, Jr., was the first American space 
                flight involving human beings.
                    (E) On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the 
                first American to circle the Earth, making three orbits 
                in his Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft.
                    (F) On December 14, 1962, Mariner 2 became the 
                first spacecraft to commit a successful planetary flyby 
                (Venus).
                    (G) On April 6, 1965, the United States launched 
                Intelsat I, the first commercial satellite 
                (communications), into geostationary orbit.
                    (H) On June 3-7, 1965, the second piloted Gemini 
                mission, Gemini IV, stayed aloft for 4 days and 
                astronaut Edward H. White II performed the first EVA or 
                spacewalk by an American.
                    (I) On June 2, 1966, Surveyor 1 became the first 
                American spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon.
                    (J) On November 13, 1971, the United States 
                launched Mariner 9, the first mission to orbit another 
                planet (Mars).
                    (K) On April 12, 1981, the National Aeronautics and 
                Space Administration launched the Space Shuttle 
                Columbia on the first flight of the Space 
                Transportation System (STS-1).
                    (L) On June 18-24, 1983, the National Aeronautics 
                and Space Administration launched Space Shuttle 
                Challenger (STS-7) carrying 3 mission specialists, 
                including Sally K. Ride, the first woman astronaut.
                    (M) In another historic mission, 2 months later the 
                National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched 
                STS-8 carrying the first black American astronaut, 
                Guion S. Bluford.
                    (N) On July 22, 1999, the Space Shuttle Columbia's 
                26th flight was led by Air Force Col. Eileen Collins, 
                the first woman to command a Shuttle mission.
            (4) On April 9, 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration unveiled the Mercury astronaut corps, 7 men with 
        ``the right stuff'': John H. Glenn, Jr., Walter M. Schirra, 
        Jr., Alan B. Shepard, Jr., M. Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon 
        Cooper, Virgil I. ``Gus'' Grissom, and Donald K. ``Deke'' 
        Slayton.
            (5) On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy, reflecting 
        the highest aspirations of the American people, proclaimed: ``I 
        believe this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, 
        before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and 
        returning him safely to Earth. No single space project in this 
        period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important in 
        the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so 
        difficult or expensive to accomplish.''
            (6) On September 19, 1961, the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration announced that the National Aeronautics 
        and Space Administration center dedicated to human space flight 
        would be built in Houston, Texas.
            (7) In 1973, the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, was 
        renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
            (8) On December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 took off atop a Saturn V 
        booster from the Kennedy Space Center for a historic mission to 
        orbit the Moon.
            (9) As Apollo 8 traveled outward, the crew focused a 
        portable television camera on Earth and for the first time 
        humanity saw its home from afar, a tiny, lovely, and fragile 
        ``blue marble'' hanging in the blackness of space.
            (10) This transmission and viewing of Earth from a distance 
        was an enormously significant accomplishment and united the 
        Nation at a time when American society was in crisis over 
        Vietnam, race relations, urban problems, and a host of other 
        difficulties.
            (11) On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil A. 
        Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin made the first lunar landing 
        mission while Michael Collins orbited overhead in the Apollo 
        command module.
            (12) Armstrong set foot on the surface, telling the 
        millions of listeners that it was ``one small step for man, one 
        giant leap for mankind''; Aldrin soon followed and planted an 
        American flag, but omitted claiming the land for the United 
        States as had routinely been done during European exploration 
        of the Americas.
            (13) The 2 Moon walkers left behind an American flag and a 
        plaque bearing the inscription: ``Here Men From Planet Earth 
        First Set Foot Upon the Moon. Jul. 1969 A.D. We came in Peace 
        for All Mankind.''
            (14) On July 4, 1997, the Mars Pathfinder landed on Mars 
        and on January 29, 1998, an International Space Station 
        agreement among 15 countries met in Washington, D.C., to sign 
        agreements to establish the framework for cooperation among the 
        partners on the design, development, operation, and utilization 
        of the Space Station.
            (15) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's 
        stunning achievements over the last 50 years have been won for 
        all mankind at great cost and sacrifice; in the quest to 
        explore the universe, many National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration employees have lost their lives, including the 
        crews of Apollo 6, the Space Shuttle Challenger, and the Space 
        Shuttle Columbia.
            (16) The United States should pay tribute to the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion 
        Laboratory by minting and issuing a commemorative silver dollar 
        coin.
            (17) The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a 
        commemorative coin would generate valuable funding for the 
        National Aeronautics and Space Administration Families 
        Assistance Fund for the purposes of providing need-based 
        financial assistance to the families of the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration personnel who die as a 
        result of injuries suffered in the performance of their 
        official duties.

SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

    (a) Denominations.--In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 
establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and 
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 
in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the 
following coins:
            (1) $50 gold coins.--Not more than 50,000 $50 gold coins 
        which shall--
                    (A) weigh 33.931 grams;
                    (B) have a diameter of 32.7 millimeters; and
                    (C) contain 1 troy ounce of fine gold.
            (2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 300,000 $1 coins of 
        each of the 9 designs specified in section 3(a)(3)(B), 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.
    (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.
    (d) Mintage Level Limit.--Notwithstanding the mintage level limit 
described under section 5112(m)(2)(A)(ii) of title 31, United States 
Code, the Secretary of the Treasury may mint and issue not more than 
300,000 of each of the 9 $1 coins authorized to be minted under this 
Act.

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 50 years of exemplary and 
        unparalleled achievements of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
            (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 ``2008''; and
                    (C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God 
                We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E 
                Pluribus Unum'', and such other inscriptions as the 
                Secretary may determine to be appropriate for the 
                designs of the coins.
            (3) Coin images.--
                    (A) $50 coins.--
                            (i) Obverse.--The obverse of the $50 coins 
                        issued under this Act shall bear an image of 
                        the sun.
                            (ii) Reverse.--The reverse of the $50 coins 
                        issued under this Act shall bear a design 
                        emblematic of the sacrifice of the United 
                        States astronauts who lost their lives in the 
                        line of duty over the course of the space 
                        program.
                            (iii) High relief.--The design and 
                        inscriptions on the obverse and reverse of the 
                        $50 coins issued under this Act shall be in 
                        high relief.
                    (B) $1 coins.--
                            (i) Obverse.--The obverse of the $1 coins 
                        issued under this Act shall bear 9 different 
                        designs each of which shall consist of an image 
                        of 1 of the 9 planets of the solar system, 
                        including Earth.
                            (ii) Reverse.--The reverse of the $1 coins 
                        issued under this Act shall bear different 
                        designs each of which shall be emblematic of 
                        discoveries and missions of the Jet Propulsion 
                        Laboratory to the planet depicted on the 
                        obverse of the coin, subject to the following 
                        requirements:
                                    (I) Earth coin.--The reverse of the 
                                $1 coins issued under this Act which 
                                bear an image of the Earth on the 
                                obverse shall bear images emblematic 
                                of, and honoring, the discoveries and 
                                missions of the National Aeronautics 
                                and Space Administration, the Mercury, 
                                Gemini and Space Shuttle missions and 
                                other manned Earth-orbiting missions, 
                                and the Apollo missions to the Moon.
                                    (II) Jupiter coin.--The reverse of 
                                the $1 coins issued under this Act 
                                which bear an image of the planet 
                                Jupiter on the obverse shall include a 
                                scientifically accurate depiction of 
                                the Galilean moon Europa and depict 
                                both a past and future mission to 
                                Europa.
                                    (III) Saturn coin.--The reverse of 
                                the $1 coins issued under this Act 
                                which bear an image of the planet 
                                Saturn on the obverse shall include a 
                                scientifically accurate depiction of 
                                the moon Titan and depict both a past 
                                and a future mission to Titan.
                                    (IV) Pluto (and other dwarf 
                                planets) coin.--The reverse of the $1 
                                coins issued under this Act which bear 
                                an image of the planet Pluto on the 
                                obverse shall include a design that is 
                                emblematic of telescopic exploration of 
                                deep space by the National Aeronautics 
                                and Space Administration and the 
                                ongoing search for Earth-like planets 
                                orbiting other stars.
            (4) Realistic and scientifically accurate depictions.--The 
        images for the designs of coins issued under this Act shall be 
        selected on the basis of the realism and scientific accuracy of 
        the images and on the extent to which the images are 
        reminiscent of the dramatic and beautiful artwork on coins of 
        the so-called ``Golden Age of Coinage'' in the United States, 
        at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, with the 
        participation of such noted sculptors and medallic artists as 
        James Earle Fraser, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Victor David 
        Brenner, Adolph A. Weinman, Charles E. Barber, and George T. 
        Morgan.
    (b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this Act 
shall be--
            (1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the 
        Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration, the Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
        and the Commission of Fine Arts; and
            (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coin Advisory Committee.

SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.

    (a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued 
in proof quality only.
    (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 Act.
    (c) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted 
under this Act beginning January 1, 2008.
    (d) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins may be minted under 
this Act after December 31, 2008.
    (e) Issuance of Gold Coins.--Each gold coin minted under this Act 
may be issued only as part of a complete set with 1 of each of the 9 $1 
coins minted under this Act.

SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.

    (a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act 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 section 7(a) 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) Prepaid Orders.--
            (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.
    (c) Presentation.--In addition to the issuance of coins under this 
Act in such other methods of presentation as the Secretary of the 
Treasury determines to be appropriate, the Secretary shall provide, as 
a sale option, a presentation case which displays the $50 gold coin in 
the center surrounded by the $1 silver coins in elliptical orbits. All 
such presentation cases shall bear a plaque with appropriate 
inscriptions that include the names and dates of the spacecraft 
missions on which United States astronauts lost their lives over the 
course of the space program and the names of such astronauts.

SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.

    (a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this Act shall 
include a surcharge as follows:
            (1) A surcharge of $50 per coin for the $50 coin.
            (2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
    (b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United 
States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of 
coins issued under this Act shall be promptly distributed as follows:
            (1) The first $4,000,000 available for distribution under 
        this section, to the NASA Family Assistance Fund for the 
        purposes of providing need-based financial assistance to the 
        families of NASA personnel who die as a result of injuries 
        suffered in the performance of their official duties.
            (2) Of amounts available for distribution after the payment 
        under paragraph (1), \1/2\ of the next $1,000,000 to each of 
        the following:
                    (A) The Dr. Ronald E. McNair Educational 
                (D.R.E.M.E.) Science Literacy Foundation for the 
                purposes of improving and strengthening the process of 
                teaching and learning science, math, and technology at 
                all educational levels, elementary thru college through 
                the promotion of innovative educational programs.
                    (B) The Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence 
                for the purposes of supporting the work of the 
                Foundation in building critical thinking skills, 
                experiential teaching methods, science literacy, and 
                integrated approaches to learning and individual 
                responsibility in achieving excellence.
            (3) The reminder of the amounts available for distribution 
        after the payments under paragraphs (1) and (2), to the Save 
        America's Treasures at the National Trust for Historic 
        Preservation to be used for the preservation and display, at 
        all appropriate sites, of vehicles flown as part of the United 
        States space program, particularly of surviving space shuttle 
        vehicles and artifacts, and of associated equipment.
    (c) Audits.--The NASA Family Assistance Fund, the Dr. Ronald E. 
McNair Educational Science Literacy Foundation, the Dorothy Jemison 
Foundation for Excellence, and the Save America's Treasures at the 
National Trust for Historic Preservation shall be subject to the audit 
requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, 
with regard to the amounts received under subsection (b).

SEC. 8. BRONZE DUPLICATES.

    The Secretary may strike and sell bronze duplicates of the $50 gold 
coins authorized under this Act, at a price the Secretary determines to 
be appropriate. Such duplicates shall not be considered to be United 
States coins and shall not be legal tender.
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