[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3105 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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114th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3105
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of the 400th anniversary of the landing and settlement of Plymouth
Colony, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, and the role of the
indigenous Wampanoag tribes in the realization of the settlement.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 28, 2016
Mr. Markey (for himself and Ms. Warren) 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 400th anniversary of the landing and settlement of Plymouth
Colony, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, and the role of the
indigenous Wampanoag tribes in the realization of the settlement.
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 ``Plymouth 400th Anniversary
Commemorative Coin Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) the United States is poised for an anniversary of
national and international significance, the 400th anniversary
of the Mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony;
(2) the Plymouth 400th anniversary will highlight the
cultural contributions and United States traditions that began
with the interaction of the indigenous Wampanoag and English
peoples, a story that significantly shaped the building of the
United States;
(3) the settlers, some known as Pilgrims, and their ship
the Mayflower, have come to represent national and
international symbols of freedom and law;
(4) the indigenous Wampanoag people, and their interaction
with the Pilgrims, created an important legacy through their
assistance and association, including participation in the
shared harvest feast, ``The First Thanksgiving'', which serves
as the indelible icon for the Thanksgiving holiday in the
United States;
(5) the ``Mayflower Compact'', signed near Provincetown off
the coast of Cape Cod before landing in Plymouth, was the
colonial cornerstone for self-governance in the New World and
had a profound influence on later developments related to the
Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights;
(6) there are more than 20,000,000 descendants worldwide
that trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower passengers
arriving in 1620 and on subsequent ships in the 1620s;
(7) in 2009, a nonprofit organization, Plymouth 400, Inc.,
was established to ensure a suitable national observance of the
Plymouth 400th anniversary to include the themes of
exploration, innovation, immigration, self-governance,
religious freedom, and thanksgiving, which are legacies that
were sparked by these historic events and that continue today
as cornerstones of the United States;
(8) Plymouth 400, Inc., will lead, support, and facilitate
legislative and marketing efforts for a commemorative coin
series, United States postage stamps, and related activities
for the Plymouth 400th anniversary observances and
commemorations in 2020;
(9) a commemorative coin series will bring national and
international attention to the lasting legacy of Plymouth
Colony, its settlers, and the indigenous Wampanoag tribes of
the area;
(10) the proceeds from a surcharge on the sale of such
commemorative coins will assist the financing of a suitable
national observance in 2020 and 2021 of the 400th anniversary
of the Pilgrim landing and historic events, including the
signing of the Mayflower Compact, the ``First Thanksgiving''
feast, interaction with the indigenous Wampanoag people, and
other significant events of the period;
(11) today, people from across the 50 States and from
around the world flock to Plymouth to see the landing place,
Plymouth Rock, visit the re-created Mayflower and Plimoth
Plantation, and trace their ancestry and learn about the
indigenous Wampanoag and their integral role in the history of
the United States; and
(12) the story of the Pilgrims, the indigenous Wampanoag
people, and the Mayflower are iconic symbols for the world
representing freedom, family, law, and justice.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereinafter 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 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 0.85 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 not less than 90 percent silver.
(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 described 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 sections 5134 and 5136 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 landing and settlement of
Plymouth Colony, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, and the
role of the indigenous Wampanoag tribes in the realization of
the settlement.
(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 ``2020'', ``2021'',
or ``2020-2021''; 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--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consulting with--
(A) Plymouth 400, Inc.;
(B) Plimoth Plantation, Inc.;
(C) the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe;
(D) the Wampanoag Tribe of Gayhead (Aquinnah);
(E) the General Society of Mayflower Descendants;
(F) the Pilgrim Society;
(G) the Plymouth Antiquarian Society;
(H) the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum;
(I) the Massachusetts Cultural Council; and
(J) the Massachusetts Historical Society; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued
in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Mint Facility.--Only 1 facility of the United States Mint may
be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this
Act.
(c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted
under this Act only during a 2-year period beginning January 1, 2020.
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) 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.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--All sales of coins issued under this Act shall
include a surcharge as follows:
(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.
(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
(3) A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half-dollar 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 under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary as
follows:
(1) 50 percent of the surcharges to Plymouth 400, Inc.--
(A) to support the work of the organization to
develop, implement, and provide oversight for the
commemorations surrounding the events of 2020 through
2021; and
(B) at the discretion of Plymouth 400 to distribute
to local historical preservation and cultural
organizations to support their important work in
educating the public about the settlement of 1620,
their continued existence for the benefit of future
generations, and other related purposes.
(2) 15 percent of the surcharges to Plimoth Plantation to
support their effort to maintain the replica of the 1627
Plantation, the Mayflower II, and the replica of the Wampanoag
Village.
(3) 15 percent of the surcharges to a Wampanoag tribal
organization to continue programs to educate people about the
life of the Wampanoag people prior to the Plymouth settlement
and the interactions between the settlers and the Wampanoag
people.
(4) 10 percent of the surcharges to the General Society of
Mayflower Descendants--
(A) to support the continued restoration of the
main facility in Plymouth;
(B) to provide funding for their research library
at that site; and
(C) for educational purposes.
(5) 10 percent of the surcharges to the Pilgrim Society to
continue their work in displaying the story of the settlement
and its artifacts, including the role of the indigenous
Wampanoag tribe in the settlement.
(c) Audits.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
have the right to examine such books, records, documents, and other
data of each of the organizations referred to in subsection (b) as may
be related to the expenditures of amounts paid under such subsection.
(d) Limitations.--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 such time of 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.
SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure
that--
(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act will not
result in any net cost to the United States Government; and
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, are
disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7 until the
total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized
by this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use of
machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping) is
recovered by the United States Treasury, consistent with
sections 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
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