[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 41 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE FIFTY STATE COMMEMORATIVE COIN PROGRAM ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 1998

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce a bill that would give 
the District of Columbia and the four insular areas a privilege the 50 
states already have, namely, the ability to choose a design for the 
reverse side of the quarter coin in order to commemorate our history as 
part of the United States. After I protested the exclusion of D.C. and 
the four territories when the original bill came to the House Floor, 
Congressman Mike Castle, Chair of the Domestic and International 
Monetary Policy Subcommittee, agreed to co-sponsor this bill with the 
other Delegates and me and to allow the District and the four insular 
areas to participate. I want to thank Chairman Castle for his great 
cooperation in helping us with this effort that is important to our 
districts, and I thank the Delegates from the four insular areas who 
have worked hard on this bill from the beginning.
  Although the residents of the District and the insular areas are 
American citizens, there are some differences between us and the 
states. However, qualification to be part of a program to redesign 
quarters to commemorate Member's home districts is not one of them. 
There is no legal or constitutional reason to exclude D.C. and the 
territories from this bill. Congress should be at great pains to avoid 
any appearance of treating the District and the insular areas as 
colonies. I am sure this initial exclusion was an oversight.
  My bill would extend the 10-year commemorative coin program for an 
additional year to include the District of Columbia and the four 
insular areas--American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin 
Islands--in the program. In the District, I am suggesting that we hold 
a competition to choose the design for our quarter. Although to some 
American citizens the Commemorative Coin Program may seem like a minor 
activity, the ability to participate in this program is important 
recognition to my constituents. I am sure that the same is true for the 
insular areas.

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