[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H7440-H7444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THOMAS ALVA EDISON COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 678) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 
in commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the birth of Thomas Alva 
Edison, to redesign the half dollar circulating coin for 1997 to 
commemorate Thomas Edison, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 678

       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 ``Thomas Alva Edison 
     Commemorative Coin Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) Thomas Alva Edison, one of America's greatest 
     inventors, was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio.
       (2) The inexhaustible energy and genius of Thomas A. Edison 
     produced more than 1,300 inventions in his lifetime, 
     including the incandescent light bulb and the phonograph.
       (3) In 1928, Thomas A. Edison received the Congressional 
     gold medal ``for development and application of inventions 
     that have revolutionized civilization in the last century''.
       (4) 2004 will mark the 125th anniversary of the invention 
     of the light bulb by Thomas A. Edison in 1879, the 1st 
     practical incandescent electric lamp.

     SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) Denomination.--In commemoration of the 125th 
     anniversary of the invention of the light bulb by Thomas A. 
     Edison, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act 
     referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not 
     more than 500,000 $1 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 5134 of 
     title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act 
     shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 4. SOURCES OF BULLION.

       The Secretary may obtain silver for minting coins under 
     this Act from any available source, including stockpiles 
     established under the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock 
     Piling Act.

     SEC. 5. DESIGN OF COINS.

       (a) Design Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this 
     Act shall be emblematic of the light bulb and the many 
     inventions made by Thomas A. Edison throughout his prolific 
     life.
       (2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted 
     under this Act there shall be--
       (A) a designation of the value of the coin; and

[[Page H7441]]

       (B) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We 
     Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus 
     Unum''.
       (3) Obverse of coin.--The obverse of each coin minted under 
     this Act shall bear the likeness of Thomas A. Edison.
       (b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this 
     Act shall be--
       (1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the 
     Commission of Fine Arts; and
       (2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory 
     Committee.

     SEC. 6. ISSUANCE OF COINS.

       (a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be 
     issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
       (b) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue 
     coins minted under this Act beginning on January 1, 2004.
       (c) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins may be 
     minted under this Act after December 31, 2004.

     SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.

       (a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this Act 
     shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
       (b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, 
     United States Code, the first $5,000,000 of the surcharges 
     received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under 
     this Act shall be paid by the Secretary as follows:
       (1) Museum of arts and history.--Up to \1/8\ to the Museum 
     of Arts and History, in the city of Port Huron, Michigan, for 
     the endowment and construction of a special museum on the 
     life of Thomas A. Edison in Port Huron.
       (2) Edison birthplace association.--Up to \1/8\ to the 
     Edison Birthplace Association, Incorporated, in Milan, Ohio, 
     to assist in the efforts of the association to raise an 
     endowment as a permanent source of support for the repair and 
     maintenance of the Thomas A. Edison birthplace, a national 
     historic landmark.
       (3) National park service.--Up to \1/8\ to the National 
     Park Service, for use in protecting, restoring, and 
     cataloguing historic documents and objects at the ``invention 
     factory'' of Thomas A. Edison in West Orange, New Jersey.
       (4) Edison plaza museum.--Up to \1/8\ to the Edison Plaza 
     Museum in Beaumont, Texas, for expanding educational programs 
     on Thomas A. Edison and for the repair and maintenance of the 
     museum.
       (5) Edison winter home and museum.--Up to \1/8\ to the 
     Edison Winter Home and Museum in Fort Myers, Florida, for 
     historic preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the 
     historic home and chemical laboratory of Thomas A. Edison.
       (6) Edison institute.--Up to \1/8\ to the Edison Institute, 
     otherwise known as ``Greenfield Village'', in Dearborn, 
     Michigan, for use in maintaining and expanding displays and 
     educational programs associated with Thomas A. Edison.
       (7) Edison memorial tower.--Up to \1/8\ to the Edison 
     Memorial Tower in Edison, New Jersey, for the preservation, 
     restoration, and expansion of the tower and museum.
       (8) Hall of electrical history.--Up to \1/8\ to the 
     Schenectady Museum Association in Schenectady, New York, for 
     the historic preservation of materials of Thomas A. Edison 
     and for the development of educational programs associated 
     with Thomas A. Edison.
       (c) Audits.--Each organization that receives any payment 
     from the Secretary under this section shall be subject to the 
     audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United 
     States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Delaware (Mr. Castle) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Vento) 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, I rise in support of H.R. 678, the Thomas Alva Edison 
Commemorative Coin Act of 1998. This bill commemorates the life work of 
the man Life Magazine selected as the single most important individual 
of this millennium. An American citizen whose more than 1,300 
inventions have shaped our daily life and will underpin the technology 
of the next 1,000 years. Mr. Speaker, I have the issue of Life Magazine 
that so designated him.
  This bill conforms in all respects to the coin reform legislation 
that we have passed in this Congress and the last.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor), along with his 
colleagues, have persevered and obtained the necessary cosponsors.
  This commemorative coin has already been approved by the Citizens 
Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee. It also meets other strictures 
of those reforms including mintage limits and retention of surcharge 
payments until all the government's costs are recovered from the 
program.
  Mr. Speaker, the manager's amendment simply updates earlier 
legislative language that envisioned a 1997 anniversary and now instead 
commemorates the 125th anniversary of the invention of the electric 
light bulb which will take place in 2004.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the immediate adoption of H.R. 678, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. VENTO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. The Committee on 
Banking and Financial Services is asked to authorize commemorative 
coins to support popular public causes. The sale of commemorative coins 
have helped finance the Olympics, repair Mount Rushmore and refurbish 
the Botanical Gardens.
  In today's bill, we are asked to help preserve the historic legacy of 
Thomas Edison, one of our Nation's most brilliant and intriguing 
inventors. Born in Ohio, Edison was the youngest of seven children. 
Primarily schooled at home, Edison in his lifetime would eventually be 
credited with more than 1,300 inventions. The incandescent light bulb, 
the phonograph, and the motion picture camera are just a few of his 
well-known inventions, and often manufactured in firms founded and 
managed by the colorful and talented Edison.
  Mr. Speaker, Thomas Edison's work has already been recognized by 
Congress through the award of a Congressional Gold Medal. The purpose 
of this measure is to preserve the Edison legacy for generations of 
future Americans. Surcharges on the sale of the commemorative coins 
will be used to support museums and maintain historic sites in six 
different States. Each will highlight the spirit and genius of Thomas 
Edison.
  Those who support this bill hope all Americans, young and old alike, 
will be inspired by the accomplishments of Thomas Edison and will 
continue the American fascination with the spirit of invention.
  Mr. Speaker, I note that part of the dollars here go to the Park 
Service for help with the archives and other type of work, the indexing 
and preservation of many of the documents and papers that are important 
to our cultural history. I think that is especially noteworthy.
  I note that many of the other sites are in need of funding and this 
permits us to provide an opportunity for those supportive of the Edison 
legacy to actually buy the coins, purchase them in some cases. Some of 
the dollars then would be voluntarily provided in this way, rather than 
going through direct tax dollars. Of course, some will be purchased by 
coin collectors. There will be half a million coins as I understand, 
the coins put out for this purpose. So I hope that the sale is vigorous 
and the dollars used in this attain the objectives of the sponsor.
  I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) for his persistence 
in this, along with the other sponsors in Ohio and Michigan, the sites 
that host the work of this American genius, an American icon, Thomas 
Edison.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 678, the Thomas Alva 
Commemorative Coin Act.
  In every Congress, the Banking Committee is asked to authorize 
commemorative coins to support popular public causes. The sale of 
commemorative coins have helped finance the Olympics, repair Mount 
Rushmore and refurbish the Botanical Gardens.
  In today's bill, we are asked to help preserve the historic legacy of 
Tom Edison, one of our nation's most brilliant and intriguing 
inventors. Born in Ohio in 1847, Edison was the youngest of seven 
children. Primarily schooled at home, Tom Edison in his lifetime would 
eventually be credited with more than 1300 inventions. The incandescent 
light bulb, the phonograph and the moving picture camera are just a few 
of his well know inventions, often manufactured in firms founded and 
managed by the colorful and talented Edison.
  Tom Edison's work has already been recognized by the Congress through 
the award of a Congressional Gold Medal. The purpose of H.R. 678 is to 
preserve the Edison legacy for generations of future Americans. 
Surcharges on the sale of the commemorative coins will be used to 
support museums and maintain historical sites in six different states. 
Each will highlight the spirit and genius of Thomas Edison. Those who 
support this bill sincerely hope all Americans, young and old alike, 
will be inspired by the accomplishments of Thomas Edison and will 
continue the American fascination with the spirit of invention.

[[Page H7442]]

  Again, Mr. Speaker, I intend to support H.R. 678 and I urge my 
colleague to join with me to honor the life and work of Thomas Edison.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor).
  Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from 
Delaware (Mr. Castle), chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, when I introduced this bill on February 11, 1997, that 
was Thomas Edison's 150th birthday, and I had no idea what a monumental 
task getting a coin bill to the floor is.

                              {time}  1245

  Obtaining 290 cosponsors is no small task. I particularly want to 
thank some of those original cosponsors, the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Solomon), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss), and 
others for their exceptional efforts in making this bill possible.
  The coin to be issued is to honor the world's greatest inventor, 
Thomas Edison. The effort it took to get it minted reminds me of one of 
his most famous sayings, ``Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 
perspiration.''
  To reawaken America to the history of this national hero, this bill 
commemorates the 125th anniversary of the light bulb. The Treasury is 
authorized to issue a $1 commemorative coin in 2004 bearing Edison's 
likeness. The surcharges from the sale of the coins will be used to 
help fund eight different Edison locations across the country dedicated 
to preserving Edison's legacy. The bill has no net cost to the Federal 
Government.
  Edison was born in my district, and, last year, the Edison Birthplace 
Museum in Milan, Ohio, was so strapped for funds that it had to ask 
local officials for help with the electric bill. Other Edison sites 
across the country are faced with similar financial difficulties.
  Edison was the most prolific inventor in American history with more 
than 1,300 patents. In addition to the light bulb, those inventions 
include the stock ticker, the electronic vote recorder, the phonograph, 
and many others.
  This coin bill will be a suitable memorial to Thomas Edison and will 
provide needed help to many historical sites across America, and I urge 
its passage.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the ranking member of the 
Committee on Commerce.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Vento), for his kindness in yielding to me at this 
particular time.
  I strongly support this legislation which I am the original author. 
As pointed out, Thomas Edison invented more than 1,300 wondrous 
devices. It changed the way we not only viewed the world, but how we 
lived. He truly represents an extraordinary creative spirit of the kind 
which made this Nation great. It is not only fitting that we honor him, 
but we do so here with a commemorative coin.
  The revenue from the sales of this coin will be used to continue his 
legacy by funding a number of important programs such as the Edison 
Institute at Greenfield Village.
  I want to express my thanks to my colleague, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Vento); also the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor), the 
minority whip, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Goss), the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and 
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) for their fine work in 
this matter.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this legislation.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield whatever time he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), chairman of the 
Committee on Rules.
  (Mr. SOLOMON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Delaware for 
yielding to me, and I will not take much time.
  I certainly thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) for bringing 
this very important piece of legislation to the floor. The gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) was good enough to include as one of the eight 
sites across the country dedicated to preserving the legacy of Thomas 
Edison the Hall of Electrical History in Schenectady, New York.
  The Schenectady Hall of Electrical History, established in 1979 by 
the GE Elfun Society, is charged with the task of salvaging and 
preserving and sharing the wealth of historic information associated 
with the Edison era and the early years of this country's electrical 
age.
  This museum in upstate New York provides public access, especially to 
young students, to artifacts, displays, and other educational exhibits 
directly connected to the discoveries and inventions of Edison. Their 
collection includes some 30,000 artifacts of which some 45 to 50 are 
Edison artifacts.
  I commend the gentleman from Ohio for bringing this legislation to 
the floor. I might also say we want to expedite it over in the other 
body. I will be contacting Senator D'Amato to see if we cannot go 
through a procedure of holding it at the desk so it does not have to go 
through a committee over there.
  Let us pass it. I salute the gentleman.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my 
friend and colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the 
Democratic whip.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding to me, and 
I thank my friend, the gentleman from Minnesota, for his support, and I 
thank the Speaker for his leadership on this.
  The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) has been most helpful, as has 
been the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) and the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Goss), and others, and my dear friend the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Dingell).
  Most of us have heard Thomas Edison's old adage, ``Genius is 1 
percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration,'' but we sometimes 
forget that those words are more than just a clever quip. At their 
core, they really capture the American entrepreneurial spirit: the 
freedom to pursue your own ideas, to satisfy your curiosity, to create 
something of value, to work as hard as you can to turn your dreams into 
reality.
  Today we have the opportunity to recognize this spirit through a 
special silver dollar commemorating Thomas Edison and the 125th 
anniversary of the invention of the light bulb.
  Thomas Edison did not just invent the light bulb, the phonograph, the 
motion picture. Yes, all of these inventions are important. In their 
modern form, they still affect our lives today, long after his death.
  But more than that, more than being an inventor, Thomas Edison is an 
inspiration, an inspiration to every person who has ever had a good 
idea and showed the determination to make it a reality, no matter how 
many tries that it takes.
  It took Edison hundreds of tries to get the light bulb to work, 
literally hundreds. The problem was finding the right filament. He 
tried platinum. He even tried horsehair. He tried rare fibers from the 
South American jungles. Do you know what the solution turned out to be? 
A special type of burnt cardboard. Who would have guessed?
  Edison's spirit of ingenuity, of creativity, of sheer determination 
is what we recognize with the minting of this coin.
  Seventy years ago, this House honored Edison with the Congressional 
Gold Medal. Today, through the Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coin 
Act, we can honor his great invention and lasting legacy.
  I have a special, personal interest in honoring Edison because he 
grew up in my district, in Port Huron, Michigan. He got his start 
there. He was raised there from the age of, I believe, 6 to 16. He sold 
newspapers and candy on a train between Port Huron and Detroit, 
conducting experiments in baggage cars between the different stations 
that they pulled into.
  Port Huron is proud of its most famous citizen, as are other 
communities where he later lived and worked.
  I would like to take a moment to thank the people at the Port Huron

[[Page H7443]]

Museum of Arts and History, who have been very active in Edison 
scholarship and in exploring and preserving his legacy.
  Let me also add that minting this commemorative silver dollar will 
not cost taxpayers one dime, and that the revenue generated from the 
sales will help fund eight important Edison-related historic sites 
around the country, including Ohio, Texas, New Jersey, New York, and 
Michigan.
  These sites include both museums and laboratories, just the type of 
educational venues in which to inspire children to become inventors and 
entrepreneurs themselves.
  So please join me and my esteemed colleague, the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Gillmor), in this endeavor to honor the world's greatest inventor, 
Thomas Alva Edison. This project would not have been possible without 
the leadership of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor), and I am 
grateful for all that he has done to make it happen.
  Please join us in supporting this project. Through this commemorative 
coin, we celebrate Edison's contributions to the world and promote the 
ideals he embodied, creativity, hard work, determination, and an 
abiding faith in our ability to create a better future.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), the sponsor of this measure and 
my friend and colleague.
  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to have within my 
Congressional District one of the most important national historical 
sites in the Nation, the complex of laboratories in West Orange, New 
Jersey, where Thomas Edison produced the inventions that changed the 
world: the light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and 
the alkaline battery, among others. In fact, he obtained over 1,000 
patents in his lifetime. The prolific American genius left behind 
400,000 artifacts and more than 5 million pages of notes, drawings, 
letters, and memos.
  Let me note that another prominent African-American inventor, Lewis 
Latimer, contributed to the development of electric lighting and was a 
member of the Edison Pioneers who supported Thomas Edison's work. Also, 
in a photo, a rare photo, there is a picture of about 30 visitors to 
the Edison grounds, one of them being Frederick Douglass, an 
outstanding African-American in the history of this country. So the 
Edison movement had many people involved.
  Unfortunately, about 5 years ago, the magnificent Thomas Edison 
National Historic Site was added to the list of ``America's Most 
Endangered Historic Places.'' A lack of funding had led to serious 
deterioration in the physical condition of the site, threatening the 
priceless treasures of history that are stored at the very place where 
Thomas Edison worked on his monumental inventions.
  I am grateful that the following year my colleagues in Congress 
approved my request for over $1 million to help repair and preserve the 
Edison labs in West Orange. But estimates to complete the rest of the 
work are up to as much as $60 million.
  Earlier this summer, the First Lady, Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton, 
visited the site and announced a contribution by GE Corporation to help 
with the restoration. But it is essential that we find other avenues 
for raising funds to save this remarkable piece of history.
  The bill we are considering today will authorize the minting of 
500,000 $1 commemorative coins to mark the 125th anniversary of the 
invention of the light bulb.
  The proceeds from the coin sales will be distributed equally to the 
eight sites around the country involved in the preservation of Thomas 
Edison's legacy.
  Let me commend my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Gillmor), for his tireless work on this legislation. It has been a 
pleasure working with him, as well as with the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Bonior), on this project which is so important to all of us who 
have Edison sites in our districts and who have the responsibility of 
preserving these sites for future generations.
  I urge my colleagues to approve this legislation so that we may 
preserve the legacy of a man who forever changed our Nation and the 
world.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would encourage support for this. We are going to ask 
for the yeas and nays on this particular piece of legislation. We have 
had a number of speakers. I would point out that eight different sites 
that somehow Thomas Edison touched on will share in the proceeds of 
this.
  I will also say that sometimes we do these coin bills, where there 
are 290 sponsors, and I am worried they will not do particularly well, 
and the institutions that may benefit from it will not necessarily 
benefit as much as they might have perceived that they would. But I am 
convinced that this one will.
  Again, we thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) for his 
perseverance. As he has already indicated, it is not easy to get 290 
cosponsors for anything in this body. I think Thomas Edison has been 
able to bring people together today.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Thomas Alva 
Edison Sesquicentennial Commemorative Coin Act. Although it was last 
year that marked the sesquicentennial of Edison's birth, it is never 
too late to commemorate the vast creativity, scientific discovery, and 
technological achievement of this great American inventor and 
industrialist.
  Edison has impacted all of our lives with the invention of the 
photograph and over a thousand other patented devices, not to mention 
the prototype for the modern industrial research laboratory. As Members 
of Congress, Edison's very first patented invention may have been the 
most influential. Many of you may not know that the first patent that 
Edison ever received was for an electric vote recorder, which he 
invented in 1869 at the ripe old age of 22.
  I am proud to represent the town of Edison, New Jersey, home of 
Edison's Menlo Park lab where Edison spent the peak of his creative 
life--including the invention of the phonograph in 1877. The Edison 
Tower now commemorates the site of the Menlo Park lab, where Edison 
created some of the most revolutionary inventions in history. The tower 
also stands as a key symbol of local pride for the community and the 
people of Edison Township.
  Unfortunately, the Edison Tower has been forced to close due to 
structural deterioration. With the passage of the Thomas Alva Edison 
Sesquicentennial Commemorative Coin Act, the Edison Tower and six other 
Edison-related historic sites across the country would benefit from 
much needed funding. Proceeds from the sale of an Edison commemorative 
coin would be used in combination with state and local contributions to 
restore the Edison Tower and ensure that the adjacent Tower Museum 
remains open to the public.
  I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Gillmor, for his 
leadership on this issue and for introducing this important 
legislation. And I urge all of my colleagues to vote to commemorate the 
unrivaled accomplishments of a great inventor and a great American, 
Thomas Alva Edison.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to commend Chairman Castle 
and Representative Gillmor for their leadership--we simply would not be 
here today without them.
  As we all know, Thomas Edison's inventions have revolutionized our 
every day lives. Today we have the opportunity to recognize one of the 
most important of these inventions, the light bulb, with a 
commemorative coin.
  The 500,000 coins that would be minted under this legislation would 
bear Edison's likeness and could be used as legal tender, serving to 
remind all American citizens of the valuable contributions that Edison 
made to modern society.
  Further, the proceeds from the sale of these coins would provide much 
needed financial support to a number of historical institutions that 
preserve the history of Thomas Edison.
  My home district of southwest Florida is the site of the Thomas 
Edison winter home and museum. This remarkable exhibit includes 
tropical gardens and thousands of fascinating items from his long and 
illustrious career. However, this national treasure is in dire need of 
some long overdue repairs. The proceeds from this coin could help 
defray the costs of restoring the Edison home and other important 
Edison landmarks throughout our nation.
  This bill is an opportunity to help preserve a valuable piece of 
American history at no cost to the American taxpayers. I urge its 
adoption.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gillmor). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) that the House

[[Page H7444]]

suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 678, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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