[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 431 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 431
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the Nation's first
Federal law enforcement agency, the United States Marshals Service.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 2, 2011
Mr. Pryor (for himself and Mr. Boozman) 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 commemoration
of the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the Nation's first
Federal law enforcement agency, the United States Marshals Service.
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 ``United States Marshals Service 225th
Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress hereby finds as follows:
(1) The United States Marshals, the first Federal law
enforcement officers in America, were established under section
27 of the Act of Congress entitled ``Chapter XX.--An Act to
Establish the Judicial Courts of the United States'' and
enacted on September 24, 1789 (commonly referred to as the
``Judiciary Act of September 24, 1789''), during the 1st
Session of the 1st Congress, and signed into law by the 1st
President of the United States, George Washington.
(2) George Washington had carefully considered the
appointments to the Judicial Branch long before the enactment
of the Judiciary Act of September 24, 1789, and nominated the
first 11 United States Marshals on September 24, and the
remaining two Marshals on September 25, 1789. The Senate
confirmed all 13 on September 26, 1789, 2 days after the
Judiciary Act was signed into law.
(3) In 1969, by order of the Department of Justice, the
United States Marshals Service was created, and achieved Bureau
status in 1974. The United States Marshals Service has had
major significance in the history of the United States, and has
directly contributed to the safety and preservation of this
Nation, by serving as an instrument of civil authority used by
all 3 branches of the United States Government.
(4) One of the original 13 United States Marshals, Robert
Forsyth of Georgia, a 40-year old veteran of the Revolutionary
War, was the first civilian official of the United States
Government, and the first of many United States Marshals and
deputies, to be killed in the line of duty when he was shot on
January 11, 1794, while trying to serve civil process.
(5) The United States Marshals Service Commemorative Coin
will be the first commemorative coin to honor the United States
Marshals Service.
(6) The United States should pay tribute to the Nation's
oldest Federal law enforcement agency, the United States
Marshals Service, by minting and issuing commemorative coins,
as provided in this Act.
(7) A commemorative coin will bring national and
international attention to the lasting legacy of this Nation's
oldest Federal law enforcement agency.
(8) The proceeds from a surcharge on the sale of such
commemorative coins will assist the financing of national
museums and charitable organizations.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--In commemoration of the 225th anniversary of
the establishment of the United States Marshals Service, the Secretary
of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the
``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the following coins:
(1) $5 gold coins.--Not more than 100,000 $5 gold coins,
which shall--
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
(2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent alloy.
(3) Half dollar clad coins.--Not more than 750,000 half
dollar coins, which shall--
(A) weigh 11.34 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
(C) be minted to the specifications for half dollar
coins contained in section 5112(b) of title 31 United
States Code.
(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 225 years of exemplary and
unparalleled achievements of the United States Marshals
Service.
(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--
(i) the mint date ``2015''; and
(ii) the years 1789 and 2014; 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) $5 gold coins.--
(i) Obverse.--The obverse of the $5 coins
issued under this Act shall bear an image of
the United States Marshals Service Star (also
known as ``America's Star'').
(ii) Reverse.--The reverse of the $5 coins
issued under this Act shall bear a design
emblematic of the sacrifice and service of the
men and women of the United States Marshals
Service who lost their lives in the line of
duty and include the Marshals Service motto
``Justice, Integrity, Service''.
(B) $1 silver coins.--
(i) Obverse.--The obverse of the $1 coins
issued under this Act shall bear an image of
the United States Marshals Service Star (also
known as ``America's Star'').
(ii) Reverse.--The reverse of the $1 silver
coins issued under this Act shall bear an image
emblematic of the United States Marshals
legendary status in America's cultural
landscape. The image should depict Marshals as
the lawmen of our frontiers, including their
geographic, political, or cultural history, and
shall include the Marshals Service motto
``Justice, Integrity, Service''.
(C) Half dollar clad coins.--
(i) Obverse.--The obverse of the half
dollar clad coins issued under this Act shall
bear an image emblematic of the United States
Marshals Service and its history.
(ii) Reverse.--The reverse of the half
dollar clad coins issued under this Act shall
bear an image consistent with the role that the
United States Marshals played in a changing
Nation, as they were involved in some of the
most pivotal social issues in American history.
The image should show the ties that the
Marshals have to the United States
Constitution, with themes including--
(I) the Whiskey Rebellion and the
rule of law;
(II) slavery and the legacy of
inequality; and
(III) the struggle between labor
and capital.
(4) Realistic and historically accurate depictions.--The
images for the designs of coins issued under this Act shall be
selected on the basis of the realism and historical 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 20th 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
Director of the United States Marshals Service 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 and uncirculated quality.
(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, to
the public, minted under this Act beginning on or after January 1,
2015, except for a limited number to be issued prior to such date to
the Director of the United States Marshals Service and employees of the
Service for display and presentation during the 225th Anniversary
celebration.
(d) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins may be minted under
this Act after December 31, 2015.
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.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this Act shall
include a surcharge as follows:
(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 gold coin.
(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 silver coin.
(3) A surcharge of $3 per coin for the half dollar coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, the Secretary shall promptly distribute all surcharges
received from the sale of coins issued under this Act as follows:
(1) The first $5,000,000 available for distribution under
this section, to the U.S. Marshals Museum, Inc., also known as
the United States Marshals Museum, for the preservation,
maintenance, and display of artifacts and documents.
(2) Of amounts available for distribution after the payment
under paragraph (1)--
(A) Thirty-three and one-third percent shall be
distributed to The National Center for Missing &
Exploited Children.
(B) Thirty-three and one-third percent shall be
distributed to the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial Fund, in support of the National Law
Enforcement Museum and the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial.
(C) Thirty-three and one-third percent shall be
distributed to the Federal Law Enforcement Officers
Association Foundation.
(c) Audits.--All organizations, associations, and funds 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 this 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 (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this
Act). The Secretary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out
this subsection.
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