1.This Act may be cited as the
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold
Medal Act
.
2.The Congress finds as follows:
(1)Shirley Chisholm was a pioneer: She was the
first African-American woman elected to Congress in 1968 where she served until
1982.
(2)Shirley Chisholm inspired and led the march
of political achievement by African-Americans and women in the three decades
since she ran for the Presidency of the United States.
(3)Her election to
Congress and her candidacy for the Presidency raised the profile and
aspirations of all African-Americans and women in the field of politics.
(4)Shirley Chisholm
was recognized for her activism, independence, and ground-breaking achievements
in politics during and after the civil rights era.
(5)Shirley Chisholm
was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 30, 1924, attended Brooklyn
College, and earned a Master's degree from Columbia University.
(6)Shirley Chisholm
worked in education and social services before being elected to the New York
State Assembly in 1964.
(7)Shirley Chisholm
established the Unity Democratic Club in 1960, which played a significant role
in rallying black and Hispanic voters in New York City.
(8)In 1969, Shirley
Chisholm began her service in the 91st Congress, representing Brooklyn's 12th
Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
(9)During her service in the House of
Representatives, Shirley Chisholm promoted the employment of women in Congress
and was vocal in her support of civil rights, women's rights, and the poor,
while fervently opposing the Vietnam War.
(10)In 1972, Shirley
Chisholm was the first African-American to seek the nomination of a major party
for President of the United States.
(11)Shirley Chisholm
was a co-founder of the National Organization for Women.
(12)An historic figure in American political
history, Shirley Chisholm died at the age of 80 in Ormond Beach, Florida, on
New Year's Day, 2005.
3.
(a)The Speaker of the
House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make
appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of the
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of Shirley
Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and ground-breaking
achievements in politics, her election as the first African-American woman in
the Congress, and her campaign to be the first African-American to gain the
nomination of a major political party for President of the United
States.
(b)For purposes of the presentation referred to in
subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the
Secretary
) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems,
devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
4.The Secretary may
strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to
section 2 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price
sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of
machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
5.
(a)The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals
for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
(b)For purposes of section 5134 of title 31, United States
Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic
items.
6.Authority to use
fund amounts; proceeds of sale
(a)Authority To use
fund amountsThere is authorized to be charged against the United
States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, such amounts as may be necessary to pay for
the costs of the medals struck pursuant to this Act.
(b)Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals
authorized under section 3 shall be deposited into the United States Mint
Public Enterprise Fund.