[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H10489-H10493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        BLACK REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOTS COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1776) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 
in commemoration of black revolutionary war patriots, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1776

       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 ``Black Revolutionary War 
     Patriots Commemorative Coin Act''.

     SEC. 2. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) $1 Silver Coins.--In commemoration of Black 
     Revolutionary War patriots and the 275th anniversary of the 
     birth of the 1st Black Revolutionary War patriot, Crispus 
     Attucks, who was the 1st American colonist killed by British 
     troops during the Revolutionary period, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
     ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more than 500,000 1 
     dollar coins, each of 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 section 5136 of 
     title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act 
     shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 3. SOURCES OF BULLION.

       The Secretary shall obtain silver for minting coins under 
     this Act only from stockpiles established under the Strategic 
     and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act.

     SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.

       (a) Design Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--The design--
       (A) on the obverse side of the coins minted under this Act 
     shall be emblematic of the 1st Black Revolutionary War 
     patriot, Crispus Attucks; and
       (B) on the reverse side of such coins shall be emblematic 
     of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial.
       (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 ``1998''; 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 consultation with the 
     Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation and the 
     Commission of Fine Arts; and
       (2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin 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) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue 
     coins minted under this Act beginning January 1, 1998 .
       (d) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins may be 
     minted under this Act after December 31, 1998.

     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 subsection (d) 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.
       (d) Surcharges.--All sales shall include a surcharge of $10 
     per coin.

     SEC. 7. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no 
     provision of law governing procurement or public contracts 
     shall be applicable to the procurement of goods and services 
     necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
       (b) Equal Employment Opportunity.--Subsection (a) shall not 
     relieve any person entering into a contract under the 
     authority of this Act from complying with any law relating to 
     equal employment opportunity.

     SEC. 8. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.

       Subject to section 10(a), all surcharges received by the 
     Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall 
     be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Black Revolutionary 
     War Patriots Foundation for the purpose of raising an 
     endowment to support the construction of a Black 
     Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial.

     SEC. 9. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.

       (a) No Net Cost to the Government.--The Secretary shall 
     take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting 
     and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net 
     cost to the United States Government.
       (b) Payment for Coins.--A coin shall not be issued under 
     this Act unless the Secretary has received--
       (1) full payment for the coin;
       (2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to indemnify the 
     United States for full payment; or
       (3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to the 
     Secretary from a depository institution whose deposits are 
     insured by the

[[Page H10490]]

     Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit 
     Union Administration Board.

     SEC. 10. CONDITIONS ON PAYMENT OF SURCHARGES.

       (a) Payment of Surcharges.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, no amount derived from the proceeds of any 
     surcharge imposed on the sale of coins issued under this Act 
     shall be paid to the Black Revolutionary War Patriots 
     Foundation unless--
       (1) all numismatic operation and program costs allocable to 
     the program under which such coins are produced and sold have 
     been recovered; and
       (2) the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation submits 
     an audited financial statement which demonstrates to the 
     satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury that, with 
     respect to all projects or purposes for which the proceeds of 
     such surcharge may be used, the Foundation has raised funds 
     from private sources for such projects and purposes in an 
     amount which is equal to or greater than the maximum amount 
     the Foundation may receive from the proceeds of such 
     surcharge.
       (b) Annual Audits.--
       (1) Annual audits of recipients required.--The Black 
     Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation shall provide, as a 
     condition for receiving any amount derived from the proceeds 
     of any surcharge imposed on the sale of coins issued under 
     this Act, for an annual audit, in accordance with generally 
     accepted government auditing standards by an independent 
     public accountant selected by the Foundation, of all such 
     payments to the Foundation beginning in the first fiscal year 
     of the Foundation in which any such amount is received and 
     continuing until all such amounts received by the Foundation 
     with respect to such surcharges are fully expended or placed 
     in trust.
       (2) Minimum requirements for annual audits.--At a minimum, 
     each audit of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation 
     pursuant to paragraph (1) shall report--
       (A) the amount of payments received by the Foundation 
     during the fiscal year of the Foundation for which the audit 
     is conducted which are derived from the proceeds of any 
     surcharge imposed on the sale of coins issued under this Act;
       (B) the amount expended by the Foundation from the proceeds 
     of such surcharges during the fiscal year of the Foundation 
     for which the audit is conducted; and
       (C) whether all expenditures by the Foundation from the 
     proceeds of such surcharges during the fiscal year of the 
     Foundation for which the audit is conducted were for 
     authorized purposes.
       (3) Responsibility of foundation to account for 
     expenditures of surcharges.--The Black Revolutionary War 
     Patriots Foundation shall take appropriate steps, as a 
     condition for receiving any payment of any amount derived 
     from the proceeds of any surcharge imposed on the sale of 
     coins issued under this Act, to ensure that the receipt of 
     the payment and the expenditure of the proceeds of such 
     surcharge by the Foundation in each fiscal year of the 
     Foundation can be accounted for separately from all other 
     revenues and expenditures of the Foundation.
       (4) Submission of audit report.--Not later than 90 days 
     after the end of any fiscal year of the Black Revolutionary 
     War Patriots Foundation for which an audit is required under 
     paragraph (1), the Foundation shall--
       (A) submit a copy of the report to the Secretary of the 
     Treasury; and
       (B) make a copy of the report available to the public.
       (5) Use of surcharges for audits.--The Black Revolutionary 
     War Patriots Foundation may use any amount received from 
     payments derived from the proceeds of any surcharge imposed 
     on the sale of coins issued under this Act to pay the cost of 
     an audit required under paragraph (1).
       (6) Waiver of subsection.--The Secretary of the Treasury 
     may waive the application of any paragraph of this subsection 
     to the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation for any 
     fiscal year after taking into account the amount of 
     surcharges which such Foundation received or expended during 
     such year.
       (7) Availability of books and records.--The Black 
     Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation shall provide, as a 
     condition for receiving any payment derived from the proceeds 
     of any surcharge imposed on the sale of coins issued under 
     this Act, to the Inspector General of the Department of the 
     Treasury or the Comptroller General of the United States, 
     upon the request of such Inspector General or the Comptroller 
     General, all books, records, and workpapers belonging to or 
     used by the Foundation, or by any independent public 
     accountant who audited the Foundation in accordance with 
     paragraph (1), which may relate to the receipt or expenditure 
     of any such amount by the Foundation.
       (c) Use of Agents or Attorneys to Influence Commemorative 
     Coin Legislation.--No portion of any payment to the Black 
     Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation from amounts derived 
     from the proceeds of surcharges imposed on the sale of coins 
     issued under this Act may be used, directly or indirectly, by 
     the Foundation to compensate any agent or attorney for 
     services rendered to support or influence in any way 
     legislative action of the Congress relating to the coins 
     minted and issued under this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Delaware [Mr. Castle] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake] each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle].
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
   Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1776 is the last commemorative coin bill to be 
considered here today. It commemorates and serves to remind us all of 
the selfless sacrifice by thousands of individual black patriots during 
our revolutionary war. The proceeds of the 500,000 silver $1 coins 
authorized under this legislation will go toward helping to build a 
memorial to these patriots that will be situated on the Mall. The coin 
will feature a likeness of Crispus Attucks, a black man who was killed 
in the Boston Massacre, the first American victim of the Revolutionary 
War. This project came to fruition as a result of the sponsors working 
closely with the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee and 
carefully observing Banking Committee rules to produce a coin that 
meets all the strict new relevant criteria, including the taxpayer 
protection language of the Commemorative Coin Reform Act of 1995.
  I urge its immediate adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Too often, Mr. Speaker, we witness the significant contributions of 
segments of our society being relegated to the footnotes of history. We 
hear instead a history myopic in its view of those who laid the 
foundation for this Nation, and the people whose sacrifices were of 
equal value are undervalued, mislabeled, and often forgotten. Today, by 
passing H.R. 1776, we expand the focus of history's view of African-
Americans contribution to the liberty and freedom we enjoy as 
Americans.

  H.R. 1776 will celebrate the birth, 275 years ago, of Crispus Attucks 
who was the first casualty in the American Revolution. Attucks was a 
black man killed by British troops in Boston on March 5, 1770, during 
an event that would become known as the Boston Massacre. Moreover, some 
5,000 other black patriots fought during the Revolutionary War and its 
major battles of Lexington, Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, Concord, and 
others. Today we will ensure that people understand the heroism of 
Attucks, and men like Peter Salem who was the hero of Bunker Hill when 
he slew the British commander.
  Perhaps a more compelling reason to commemorate these men by this 
coin, and by commemorating them on the Mall, is that despite being 
relegated to second-class citizenship and servitude, they fought for 
the values of freedom upon which this country was founded. They 
recognized the genius of equality, freedom, justice, and liberty. They 
and others wished to share this American vision, and recognized that 
the cost of these freedoms was through the blood sweat and tears lost 
on the battlefield,
  For the sacrifices of these black patriots, and the sacrifices of all 
the founders, we owe a great debt, and we must never forget that the 
steel-like strength of our Democracy was forged on the backs of many. 
H.R. 1776 accomplishes this goal, and I urge its unanimous passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson].
  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to speak 
in strong support of H.R. 1776.
  This is an important small bill that I introduced with my 
distinguished colleagues, the gentleman from Oklahoma, Mr. J.C. Watts, 
and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Payne, with enormous backing 
from many, many Members on both sides of the aisle. It directs the 
Secretary of the Treasury in 1998 to mint 500,000 coins in recognition 
of the African-American patriots who fought for our Nation's 
independence and our individual freedom.
  The bill specifically commemorates the 275th anniversary of the birth 
of Crispus Attucks as the first to fall during the American Revolution. 
He is a prominent black figure in American history and a person whose 
life every one of our children should understand. He is a powerful 
symbol of black patriots' courageous contributions during

[[Page H10491]]

this defining moment that created our Nation.
  H.R. 1776 has overwhelming bipartisan support with more than 300 
cosponsors in the House of Representatives. Its companion legislation 
introduced by Senators John Chafee and Carol Moseley-Braun has the 
support of more than 60 Senate cosponsors.
  H.R. 1776 will recognize the contribution of African-Americans during 
this historic period of our Nation's history when we came into being, 
and distribution of these unique coins will help augment the 
significant fundraising efforts of the black patriots memorial to 
succeed in funding the black Revolutionary War patriots memorial.
  As my colleagues know, in 1986 Congress approved legislation I 
introduced with the support of many of my friends here on both sides of 
the aisle to authorize the construction of a memorial to the black 
soldiers who fought and died during our Nation's war for freedom and 
independence. The memorial's design has been approved, and it will be 
located in Constitution Gardens on the national Mall between the 
Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. It will be the first 
monument on the Mall which specifically honors the achievements of 
African-Americans.
  I would have to say, Mr. Speaker, that sometimes people in America 
think that as individual citizens they have no influence in this body. 
I would tell my colleagues that many years ago my friend Maurice 
Barbosa, a lawyer from Plainville, CT, the adjoining town to my 
hometown, came to me with this idea. This was his vision.
  Mr. Speaker, through him and his hard work and through so many in 
this body, we were able to authorize that memorial to get it designed 
and approved, and it will finally sit on the Mall, the first monument 
to acknowledge and to honor the achievements of African-Americans, and 
so I thank Maurice Barbosa and Wayne Smith, the current head of the 
Black Patriots Foundation, for the wonderful work that he and his 
comrades are doing.

                              {time}  1800

  For over two centuries, the compelling contribution of over 5,000 
African-American slaves and freedmen who served in the militia or 
provided civilian assistance during the Revolutionary War has, for the 
most part, gone unnoticed. These soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder 
with white soldiers, heroically sacrificing so we could stand here 
today, a free people and a world leader.
  After years of work on this commemorative coin effort, I am delighted 
that this House is now recognizing the courageous contributions of our 
black Revolutionary War patriots. Passage of this legislation will send 
an emphatic message that we are one nation because people of all races 
and ethnic origins were willing to fight for and then build a new 
nation of free and equal citizens. If we fail to understand our past, 
we cannot assume a future worthy of our visionary ancestors.
  This memorial is about cherishing, affirming, and comprehending our 
past each day we build our future. I urge my colleagues to support this 
unique commemorative coin legislation, and help the Black Patriots 
Foundation realize the dream of a memorial to black Revolutionary War 
patriots here in Washington, DC.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey, Mr. Donald Payne, chairperson of the Congressional Black 
Caucus.
  Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, as one who has been involved in 
this endeavor from the beginning, I am pleased that our efforts are 
coming to fruition today. I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman 
from Delaware, Mr. Castle, for moving this important measure through, 
and thank the gentleman from New York, Floyd Flake, the ranking member, 
for all of his contributions.
  Let me express special appreciation to the sponsor of this bill, the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut, Ms. Nancy Johnson, who you have just 
heard, for all of the hard work she has done on this bill for so many 
years. It has been a pleasure working with her through this process.
  Our legislation directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 500,000 
coins in 1998 recognizing the sacrifices of African American soldiers 
in the Revolutionary War. Proceeds from the sale of this coin will help 
the construction of the first monument on the National Mall here in 
Washington to specifically honor the contributions of the African-
American war patriots.
  It is fitting that we pay tribute to the pride and patriotism of 
heroes such as Crispus Attucks, as the gentleman from New York [Mr. 
Flake], mentioned, a runaway slave who became the first casualty of the 
American Revolution. As our country was struggling to become free of 
British tyranny, this young runaway slave gave his life during the 
Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770.
  African-American patriots fought in most of the major battles of the 
Revolutionary War. They were at Lexington and Concord; they were at the 
Battle of Bunker Hill at Trenton, in New Jersey, the battles on Long 
Island, at Valley Forge and Yorktown.
  It was a black minuteman, as we have heard, Peter Salem, who became 
the hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill, when they said, don't shoot 
until you see the whites of their eyes, because our armies were low on 
ammunition. He took down the British commander. African Americans went 
on to serve with distinction in every conflict since that time.
  Let me just digress for a minute to say in the War of 1812 and in the 
Civil War, with the 54th Regiment that Frederick Douglass convinced 
President Lincoln to allow them to fight for their freedom, and it 
turned the tide of the Civil War that at that time was at a stalemate.
  In the Spanish American War, there were black Americans on the Maine, 
and it was the Rough Riders that went into the Battle of San Juan Hill, 
where Teddy Roosevelt was at the point of annihilation, but the Rough 
Riders were pinned down and the Buffalo Soldiers came and relieved 
them.
  So as we move on, World War I, Neham Roberts, a man from north New 
Jersey and his partner, after several weeks captured 20 Germans as they 
were wounded in the foxholes and in the lines, and they brought these 
persons in as prisoners of war.
  In World War II, Archie Callahan from Norton, NJ, died on December 7 
in Pearl Harbor in 1941.
  Mr. Speaker, with the passage of today's measure, let us remember 
that after that, in Korea, and in Vietnam, in the Persian Gulf war, let 
us remember that our nation was born of shared sacrifices, with people 
of all backgrounds coming together for a common cause of freedom. The 
best way for us to honor the memory of these fallen Revolutionary War 
heroes is to promote the same spirit of unity on which this Nation was 
founded.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr.Watts].
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1776, 
the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Commemorative Coin Act. I commend 
our chairman, the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle], and the ranking 
member, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake], for moving this 
commemorative coin.
  This House has noticed an absence and therefore a very real need for 
commemoration in honor of people who helped to birth the Nation, people 
who actually gave the supreme sacrifice during this Nation's defining 
moment.
  As Harriett Beecher Stowe wrote about the black men and women who 
served in the Revolutionary War,

       It was not for their own land they fought, nor even for the 
     land which had adopted them, but for a land that had enslaved 
     them and whose laws, even in freedom, more often oppressed 
     than protected. Bravery under such circumstances has a 
     peculiar beauty and merit.

  The fact is, Mr. Speaker, men and women of all colors have been 
involved in every aspect of this country from its founding days. We are 
full partners in the history, bloodshed and tears that have made this 
Nation great.
  Unfortunately, not all of us know our Nation's history, where we came 
from and what makes us who we are today. H.R. 1776, the Black 
Revolutionary War Patriots Commemorative Coin Act, renders honor to 
those who are exceptionally deserving of lasting historical 
recognition, and teaches us vis-a-vis ``history in our hands'' that we 
all had a stake in this Nation's founding and that we all are equal 
partners.

[[Page H10492]]

  H.R. 1776 authorizes the U.S. Mint to strike 500,000 silver dollars 
in 1998 commemorating the 275th anniversary of the birth of Crispus 
Attucks. Crispus Attucks, a black man, became the first American 
casualty of the Revolutionary War when he was killed by British troops 
in Boston on March 5, 1770, in an event that would come to be known as 
the Boston Massacre.
  H.R. 1776, introduces by the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Nancy 
Johnson], the gentleman from New Jersey [Donald Payne], and myself 
enjoys the support of an overwhelming, bipartisan majority of 318 House 
cosponsors. The Senate companion bill enjoys the backing of 63 Senate 
cosponsors.
  The proceeds from the sale of these commemorative coins will go 
toward the construction of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots 
Memorial on the National Mall honoring Crispus Attucks and the other 
5,000 black men and women who fought for and supported American 
independence during the Revolutionary War.
  Not only will the commemorative coin teach us all an important aspect 
of our Nation's history, but the memorial will continue the legacy of 
reminding us that we are truly one Nation and full partners in the 
history, bloodshed and tears that have made this Nation great.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished 
gentleman from New York for yielding time to me, and I do appreciate 
very much his leadership, along with that of the gentleman from 
Delaware [Mr. Castle] for moving this very historic legislation to the 
floor of the House.
  Let me also thank the distinguished gentlewoman from Connecticut, 
Mrs. Johnson, the gentleman from Oklahoma, Mr. J.C. Watts, and also the 
chairman of the Black Caucus for their inspiration and leadership on 
something that really goes beyond these walls and this Chamber today.
  For as we all have come to a point of recognizing that this is a 
nation created for all to be considered equal, even as the Declaration 
of Independence stated in those early years, we all are created equal, 
with certainly inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness, it was well known that those of us of African American 
descent were at that time enslaved in this country. How fitting it is 
to acknowledge that there were those willing to give the most and the 
most costly of sacrifices, their life, to fight for the freedom of this 
Nation, which included the freedom of all citizens.
  So I am very much in support of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots 
Commemorative Coin Act, H.R. 1776, which, as rendered, will allow for 
the selling of a coin that would then allow for the constructing of an 
appropriate memorial to these great men who offered their lives for 
America.
  It is interesting, as a young girl studying history in our public 
schools in this country, during the era that I was raised there was not 
much in giving credence to those African American slaves, who were in 
fact very much a part of the American history and the American 
structure and the American liberation.
  So it is now fitting that I can say to my 11-year-old son, Jason, as 
he is entering into the fifth grade, that we now have an opportunity, 
along with many other monuments that have come over the last 10 years, 
to acknowledge those early patriots who happened to have been slaves, 
happened to have been former slaves but of African descent.
  It is important to acknowledge all Americans who fought in the 
American Revolutionary War, and to recognize that they fought for 
democracy, not for party or for creed, not for color, but for freedom.
  How gratified we can all be that Crispus Attucks, who was killed in 
the Boston Massacre, during one of the first of many confrontations at 
the beginning of this country's struggle for independence, finally will 
be honored by the passage of this legislation.
  How befitting it will be to have schoolchildren traveling from as far 
as Los Angeles, CA, Seattle, WA, or the 18th Congressional District in 
Houston, TX, from Cleveland, OH, to Jamaica, New York, to Miami, FL, to 
be able to come to the Washington Mall, and to be able to see the 
acknowledgment of Revolutionary War heroes, black patriots, former 
slaves who gave their life for this country.
  Let me acknowledge that this was a bipartisan effort, with over 300 
cosponsors, of H.R. 1776, and that is why today, September 17, 1996, it 
is extremely fitting for us to join together to pay tribute to these 
patriots.
  I do hope that we in the spirit of this legislation can carry forward 
the message that when it comes to freedom and equality and opportunity, 
Americans will stand together, Republican, Democratic, Independent 
alike, and stand for what is right, and that is to respect those who 
gave the most prized measure, and that is their life.
  This is fitting as we watch African Americans serve throughout the 
Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War of the 1800's, 
1860's, and then moving into World War I and World War II, noting the 
Tuskegee Airmen, and, of course, the Korean war, Vietnam, in the 
Persian Gulf, and now. We must realize that was is no respecter of 
color, and freedom must be enjoyed by all of us.
  I congratulate the sponsor and cosponsor of this legislation, and 
rise to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1776, the Black 
Revolutionary War Patriots Commemorative Coin Act, in order to 
construct a long overdue monument to the black Revolutionary War 
patriots on the Mall.
  I would like to commend and thank Congresswoman Nancy Johnson and 
Donald Payne for their leadership in proposing this legislation to 
honor some of our Nation's most outstanding revolutionary heroes. As an 
original cosponsor of H.R. 1776, I would like to thank the Members from 
both sides of the aisle who are cosponsors of this legislation.
  Those who fought in the American Revolutionary War did so for the 
ideal of democracy--not for party or for creed, nor for color, but for 
freedom.
  Crispus Attucks, who was killed in the Boston Massacre, during one of 
the first of many confrontations at the beginning of this country's 
struggle for independence will be honored by the passage of the 
legislation.
  This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint $1 silver 
coins in commemoration of black Revolutionary War patriots. This 
legislation further directs that coin sale surcharges be paid to the 
Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation for raising an endowment to 
support construction of the Patriots Memorial here in Washington, DC.
  With over 300 cosponsors of H.R. 1776, I would like to thank my 
fellow colleagues for this strong show of bipartisanship.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would make a closing comment or two.
  Mr. Speaker, first of all, of all the bills, three bills we are 
handling today, this particular piece of legislation I think had the 
greatest struggle in that they were dealing with other sources of 
funding; they were dealing with an authorization issue as well as, 
obviously, obtaining signatures.
  I think all those involved with the Black Revolutionary War Patriots 
Foundation, which is the correct full name, deserve to be congratulated 
on their perseverance for what I consider to be an extremely good 
cause. It was with some degree of pride that we were able to have a 
hearing, have them actually come before us and be able to approve this 
legislation. We wish them great success.
  I hope that anyone who is listening to this will be ready to buy any 
or all of these coins. We want them to succeed down the road. But this 
one in particular I think is one that took a great deal of work, so I 
congratulate all those individuals.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to just say this is a great day when we can 
come to the floor and have coins that commemorate Dolley Madison, 
George Washington, and the black patriots. I think it speaks well for 
our country.
  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. I rise in strong support of H.R. 1776, the 
Black Revolutionary War Patriots Commemorative Coin Act, and to honor 
the thousands of African-American patriots who fought in the 
Revolutionary War and risked their lives for our freedom.
  I am a proud cosponsor of this critical legislation and its 
importance cannot be overstated. African-Americans participated in 
every phase of the struggle for American independence. Yet far too many 
of our children are

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learning the history of the Revolutionary War without knowing the names 
and heroics of these outstanding American patriots. Indeed, we must 
move forward on this legislation so that no young American will pass 
through school without learning that African-Americans were essential 
participants in our forefathers' fight for freedom.
  There was Crispus Attucks, the first person to die in the Revolution, 
who gave his life in the Boston Massacre. There was James Robinson, who 
fought in the Revolutionary War as well as in the War of 1812, but was 
not granted his freedom until after the Civil War in 1865. There was 
James Forten, who was born free in Philadelphia and later became a very 
wealthy and powerful businessman, employing more than forty men both 
black and white in his sail business. Forten amassed more than $100,000 
from his business which he used in his fight for the freedom and 
independence of hundreds of African-Americans, during and after the 
war.
  African-Americans served with Gen. George Washington at Valley Forge 
during the winter of 1777-78, and African-Americans were present as the 
British were driven out of Yorktown in the waning days of the war. More 
than 5,000 African-American patriots in total, their story must be 
told.
  H.R. 1776 will allow the minting of 500,000 silver one dollar coins 
to assist in the effort to build a National monument honoring African-
American Revolutionary War patriots. Fittingly, the Treasury Department 
would be able to begin minting the coins in 1998--the 275th anniversary 
of the birth of Crispus Attucks under this legislation.
  But this legislation is just a start--a building block which will 
allow us to finance a glorious monument on the National Mall, dedicated 
to the black soldiers of the Revolutionary War. And while this tribute 
is long overdue, it will ensure that all Americans will never forsake 
the courageous efforts of the African-American soldiers who selflessly 
fought for the independence of our Nation, even when their own freedom 
as a people was not wholly recognized.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle] that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1776, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: A bill to require the Secretary 
of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of black Revolutionary 
War patriots and the 275th anniversary of the first black Revolutionary 
War patriot, Crispus Attucks.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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