[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 136 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            BENJAMIN FRANKLIN COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 30, 2003

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Benjamin 
Franklin Commemorative Coin Act of 2003.'' This legislation will direct 
the Secretary of the Treasury to produce a limited edition silver coin 
to honor the many achievements of Ben Franklin and celebrate the 
anniversary of his 300th birthday in January 2006.
  Ben Franklin was one of the most remarkable of our founding fathers; 
he made historic contributions to our nation in a number of fields: 
government, business, science, communications, and the arts. Mr. 
Speaker, as I stand before you in the great halls of Congress, it is 
notable to recognize that Franklin was the only Founding Father to sign 
all of our nation's organizational documents.
  It is fitting to honor Franklin with a commemorative coin, as his 
role in the early years of currency cannot be overlooked. During the 
American Revolution, Franklin designed the first American coin, the 
``Continental'' penny. He also played a major role in the design of the 
Great Seal of the United States, which appears on the one dollar bill. 
Franklin was the printer of official currency for the colonies of my 
great state, Delaware, as well as Pennsylvania, New Jersey and 
Maryland. Furthermore, the official United States half dollar from 1948 
to 1963 bore Franklin's portrait. Until 1979, Benjamin Franklin was the 
only non-president of the United States whose image graced circulating 
coin and paper currency.
  In 2002, the United States Congress passed the ``Benjamin Franklin 
Tercentenary Act'' to create a panel of distinguished Americans to 
commemorate Franklin's 300th birthday in 2006. I am proud to serve as a 
member of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission which was 
created to honor a true American statesman. I urge my colleagues to 
cosponsor this legislation and look forward to working with the 
Financial Services Committee to bring this bill to the House Floor.




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