II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1935 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 1, 2011 Mrs. Hagan (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Kirk, and Mr. Akaka) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition and celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the March of Dimes Foundation.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act of 2011.

2.

Findings

The Congress finds the following: (1)President Franklin Roosevelt’s personal struggle with polio led him to create the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (now known as the March of Dimes) on January 3, 1938, at a time when polio was on the rise. (2)The Foundation established patient aid programs and funded research for polio vaccines developed by Jonas Salk, MD, and Albert Sabin, MD. (3)Tested in a massive field trial in 1954 that involved 1.8 million schoolchildren known as polio pioneers, the Salk vaccine was licensed for use on April 12, 1955 as safe, effective, and potent. The Salk and Sabin polio vaccines funded by the March of Dimes ended the polio epidemic in the United States. (4)With its original mission accomplished, the Foundation turned its focus to preventing birth defects, prematurity, and infant mortality in 1958. The Foundation began to fund research into the genetic, prenatal, and environmental causes of over 3,000 birth defects. (5)The Foundation’s investment in research has led to 13 scientists winning the Nobel Prize since 1954, including Dr. James Watson’s discovery of the double helix. (6)Virginia Apgar, MD, creator of the Apgar Score, helped develop the Foundation’s mission for birth defects prevention; joining the Foundation as the head of its new birth defects division in 1959. (7)In the 1960s, the Foundation created over 100 birth defects treatment centers, and then turned its attention to assisting in the development of Neonatal Intensive Care Units, or NICUs. (8)With March of Dimes support, a Committee on Perinatal Health released Toward Improving the Outcome of Pregnancy in 1976, which included recommendations that led to the regionalization of perinatal health care in the United States. (9)Since 1998, the March of Dimes has advocated for and witnessed the passage of the Birth Defects Prevention Act, Children’s Health Act, PREEMIE Act, and Newborn Screening Save Lives Act. (10)In 2003, the March of Dimes launched a Prematurity Campaign to increase awareness about and reduce the incidence of preterm birth, infant mortality, birth defects, and lifelong disabilities and disorders. (11)The March of Dimes actively promotes programs for and funds research into newborn screening, pulmonary surfactant therapy, maternal nutrition, smoking cessation, folic acid consumption to prevent neural tube defects, increased access to maternity care, and similar programs to improve maternal and infant health.

3.

Coin specifications

(a)

$1 silver coins

In recognition and celebration of the founding and proud service of the March of Dimes, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the Secretary) shall mint and issue not more than 500,000 $1 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 sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

4.

Design of coins

(a)

Design requirements

(1)

In general

The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the mission and programs of the March of Dimes, and its distinguished record of generating Americans’ support to protect our children’s health. (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 2014; 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— (1)contain motifs that represent the past, present, and future of the March of Dimes and its role as champion for all babies, such designs to be consistent with the traditions and heritage of the March of Dimes; (2)be selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the March of Dimes and the Commission of Fine Arts; and (3)be reviewed by the Citizens Coin Advisory Committee.

5.

Issuance

(a)

Quality of coins

Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. (b)

Mint facility

For the coins minted under this Act, at least 1 facility of the United States Mint shall be used to strike proof quality coins, while at least 1 other such facility shall be used to strike the uncirculated quality coins. (c)

Period for issuance

The Secretary of the Treasury may issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2014.

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)

Bulk sales

The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount. (c)

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.

7.

Surcharges

(a)

In general

All sales of coins minted under this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per 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 paid by the Secretary to the March of Dimes to help finance research, education, and services aimed at improving the health of women, infants, and children. (c)

Audits

The March of Dimes 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). (d)

Limitation

Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin would result in the number of commemorative coin programs issued during such year to exceed the annual 2 commemorative coin program issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code. The Secretary may issue guidance to carry out this subsection.