[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4243 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4243

To award posthumously the Congressional Gold Medal to Shirley Chisholm.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 2, 2024

   Ms. Butler (for herself, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Booker, Ms. Smith, Mrs. 
  Murray, Ms. Warren, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Sanders, Ms. 
 Collins, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Van Hollen, 
  Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Kaine, and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, 
                       Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To award posthumously the Congressional Gold Medal to Shirley Chisholm.

    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 ``Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold 
Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first African-
        American woman elected to Congress where she served until 1982.
            (2) Shirley Chisholm inspired and led the march of 
        political achievement by African Americans and women in the 3 
        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 groundbreaking 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 New York's 12th Congressional District 
        in the 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) A historic figure in American political history, 
        Shirley Chisholm died at the age of 80 in Ormond Beach, 
        Florida, on New Year's Day 2005.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--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.
    (b) Design and Striking.--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. 
The design shall bear an image of, and an inscription of the name of, 
Shirley Chisholm.
    (c) Smithsonian Institution.--
            (1) In general.--After the award of the gold medal referred 
        to in subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the 
        Smithsonian Institution, where it will be displayed as 
        appropriate and made available for research.
            (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
        the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal received 
        under paragraph (1) for display elsewhere, particularly at 
        other locations and events associated with Shirley Chisholm.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medal struck pursuant to section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the 
costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of 
machinery, and overhead expenses.

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--Medals struck under this Act are national 
medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
    (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of 
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

    (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There 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 
under this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
                                 <all>