[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 110 (Friday, July 30, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9954-S9955]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  UNITED STATES CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT OF 1999

  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1468 introduced 
earlier today by Senators Lott, Daschle, and others.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1468) to authorize the minting and issuance of 
     Capitol Visitor Center Commemorative coins, and for other 
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and any statements relating to this bill be printed in 
the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1468) was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1468

       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 ``United States Capitol 
     Visitor Center Commemorative Coin Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) Congress moved to Washington, District of Columbia, and 
     first convened in the Capitol building in the year 1800;
       (2) the Capitol building is now the greatest visible symbol 
     of representative democracy in the world;
       (3) the Capitol building has approximately 5,000,000 
     visitors annually and suffers from a lack of facilities 
     necessary to properly serve them;
       (4) the Capitol building and persons within the Capitol 
     have been provided with excellent security through the 
     dedication and sacrifice of the United States Capitol Police;
       (5) Congress has appropriated $100,000,000, to be 
     supplemented with private funds, to construct a Capitol 
     Visitor Center to provide continued high security for the 
     Capitol and enhance the educational experience of visitors to 
     the Capitol;
       (6) Congress would like to offer the opportunity for all 
     persons to voluntarily participate in raising funds for the 
     Capitol Visitor Center; and
       (7) it is appropriate to authorize coins commemorating the 
     first convening of the Congress in the Capitol building with 
     proceeds from the sale of the coins, less expenses, being 
     deposited for the United States Capitol Preservation 
     Commission with the specific purpose of aiding in the 
     construction, maintenance, and preservation of a Capitol 
     Visitor Center.

     SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury 
     (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') 
     shall mint and issue the following coins:
       (1) Bimetallic coins.--Not more than 200,000 $10 bimetallic 
     coins of gold and platinum, in accordance with such 
     specifications as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
       (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 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
       (3) Half dollar.--Not more than 750,000 half dollar clad 
     coins, each of which--
       (A) shall weigh 11.34 grams;
       (B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
       (C) be minted to the specifications for half dollar coins 
     contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United States Code.
       (b) $5 Gold Coins.--If the Secretary determines that the 
     minting and issuance of bimetallic coins under subsection 
     (a)(1) is not feasible, the Secretary may mint and issue 
     instead not more than 100,000 $5 coins, which shall--
       (1) weigh 8.359 grams;
       (2) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
       (3) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
       (c) Waiver.--Each of the mintage levels specified in 
     subsection (a) may be waived in accordance with section 
     5112(m)(2)(B) of title 31, United States Code.
       (d) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be 
     legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 
     States Code.

     SEC. 4. SOURCES OF BULLION.

       (a) Platinum and Gold.--The Secretary shall obtain platinum 
     and gold for minting coins under this Act from available 
     sources.
       (b) Silver.--The Secretary may obtain silver for minting 
     coins under this Act from stockpiles established under the 
     Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act, and from 
     other available sources.

     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 first meeting of the United 
     States Congress in the United States Capitol Building.
       (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 ``2000''; 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 
     United States Capitol

[[Page S9955]]

     Preservation Commission (in this Act referred to as the 
     ``Commission'') and 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) Mint Facility.--Only 1 facility of the United States 
     Mint may be used to strike any particular combination of 
     denomination and quality of the coins minted under this Act.
       (c) First Use of Year 2000 Date.--The coins minted under 
     this Act shall be the first commemorative coins of the United 
     States to be issued bearing the inscription of the year 
     ``2000''.
       (d) Promotion Consultation.--The Secretary shall--
       (1) consult with the Commission in order to establish a 
     role for the Commission or an entity designated by the 
     Commission in the promotion, advertising, and marketing of 
     the coins minted under this Act; and
       (2) if the Secretary determines that such action would be 
     beneficial to the sale of coins minted under this Act, enter 
     into a contract with the Commission or an entity referred to 
     in paragraph (1) to carry out the role established under 
     paragraph (1).

     SEC. 7. SALE OF COINS.

       (a) Sale Price.--The coins minted 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 under this Act shall include a 
     surcharge established by the Secretary, in an amount equal to 
     not more than--
       (1) $50 per coin for the $10 coin or $35 per coin for the 
     $5 coin;
       (2) $10 per coin for the $1 coin; and
       (3) $3 per coin for the half dollar coin.

     SEC. 8. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.

       All surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of 
     coins minted under this Act shall be deposited in the Capitol 
     Preservation Fund in accordance with section 5134(f) of title 
     31, United States Code, and shall be made available to the 
     Commission for the purpose of aiding in the construction, 
     maintenance, and preservation of a Capitol Visitor Center.

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