[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 89 (Thursday, June 24, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7480-S7481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Bennett):
  S. 2602. A bill to provide for a circulating quarter dollar coin 
program to honor the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the District of 
Columbia and United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar 
Program Act. I am proud to cosponsor this important legislation with my 
colleague, Sen. Robert Bennett, R-UT.
  This legislation will provide the District of Columbia, American 
Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands the opportunity to put a design of their 
choice on the reverse side of a quarter coin. These jurisdictions were 
inadvertently excluded from the 50 States Quarter Commemorative Coin 
Program Act, Public Law 105-124, that gave each State the same right in 
1997.
  As part of the 50 State Quarter Program, over twenty-two billion 
quarter coins representing 27 states have been minted. All the coins 
are minted according to the year each State ratified the Constitution 
of the United States or were admitted into the Union. Although States 
have appropriate latitude, there are limitations as to what can be used 
as a design.
  According to Public Law 105-124, the Secretary of the Treasury has 
the final approval of each design. The law gives clear guidance as to 
what is an acceptable design concept. Suitable design concepts include 
State landmarks, landscapes, historically significant buildings, 
symbols of State resources or industries, official State flora and 
fauna, State icons, and outlines of States. Among the examples of 
suitable coins already in circulation year New York's Statue of 
Liberty, Missouri's depiction of Lewis and Clark as they paddled down 
the Missouri River with the Gateway Arch in the background, and North 
Carolina's first successful airplane flight.
  The District of Columbia has been the unfortunate target of acts of 
terror, yet citizens of the District have no one who can cast a vote in 
Congress on policies to protect their security. Citizens of Washington, 
D.C., pay income taxes just like every other American. In fact on a per 
capita basis, District residents have the second highest Federal tax 
obligation. And yet they have absolutely no say in how high those taxes 
will be or how their tax dollars will be spent.
  This legislation is a reminder of the importance of including all 
Americans in the symbols of American citizenship. The residents of the 
District are American citizens, despite their lack of voting 
representation in the Congress.
  I believe that the least that we can do is allow the residents of the 
District of Columbia, as citizens of the United States, to commemorate 
the symbols of their own jurisdiction.
  The 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act of 1997 states that 
``Congress finds that it is appropriate and timely to honor the unique 
Federal Republic of 50 States that comprise the United States; and to 
promote the diffusion of knowledge among the youth

[[Page S7481]]

of the United States about the individual states, their history and 
geography, and the rich diversity of the national heritage'' and to 
encourage ``young people and their families to collect memorable tokens 
of all of the States for the face value of the coins.''
  I believe that it is of significant importance to America's youth to 
better understand and honor the rich, vibrant history of our nation's 
capital and territories, as well as that of our states. I urge my 
colleagues to support this meaningful legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2602

       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 ``District of Columbia and 
     United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar Program 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. ISSUANCE OF REDESIGNED QUARTER DOLLARS HONORING THE 
                   DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND EACH OF THE 
                   TERRITORIES.

       Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after subsection (m) the following new subsection:
       ``(n) Redesign and Issuance of Circulating Quarter Dollar 
     Honoring the District of Columbia and Each of the 
     Territories.--
       ``(1) Redesign in 2009.--
       ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding the fourth sentence of 
     subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2) and subject to 
     paragraph (6)(B), quarter dollar coins issued during 2009 
     shall have designs on the reverse side selected in accordance 
     with this subsection which are emblematic of the District of 
     Columbia and the territories.
       ``(B) Flexibility with regard to placement of 
     inscriptions.--Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1), the 
     Secretary may select a design for quarter dollars issued 
     during 2009 in which--
       ``(i) the inscription described in the second sentence of 
     subsection (d)(1) appears on the reverse side of any such 
     quarter dollars; and
       ``(ii) any inscription described in the third sentence of 
     subsection (d)(1) or the designation of the value of the coin 
     appears on the obverse side of any such quarter dollars.
       ``(2) Single district or territory design.--The design on 
     the reverse side of each quarter dollar issued during 2009 
     shall be emblematic of one of the following: The District of 
     Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American 
     Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth 
     of the Northern Mariana Islands.
       ``(3) Selection of design.--
       ``(A) In general.--Each of the 6 designs required under 
     this subsection for quarter dollars shall be--
       ``(i) selected by the Secretary after consultation with--

       ``(I) the chief executive of the District of Columbia or 
     the territory being honored, or such other officials or group 
     as the chief executive officer of the District of Columbia or 
     the territory may designate for such purpose; and
       ``(II) the Commission of Fine Arts; and

       ``(ii) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
       ``(B) Selection and approval process.--Designs for quarter 
     dollars may be submitted in accordance with the design 
     selection and approval process developed by the Secretary in 
     the sole discretion of the Secretary.
       ``(C) Participation.--The Secretary may include 
     participation by District of Columbia or territorial 
     officials, artists from the District of Columbia or the 
     territory, engravers of the United States Mint, and members 
     of the general public.
       ``(D) Standards.--Because it is important that the Nation's 
     coinage and currency bear dignified designs of which the 
     citizens of the United States can be proud, the Secretary 
     shall not select any frivolous or inappropriate design for 
     any quarter dollar minted under this subsection.
       ``(E) Prohibition on certain representations.--No head and 
     shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and 
     no portrait of a living person may be included in the design 
     of any quarter dollar under this subsection.
       ``(4) Treatment as numismatic items.--For purposes of 
     sections 5134 and 5136, all coins minted under this 
     subsection shall be considered to be numismatic items.
       ``(5) Issuance.--
       ``(A) Quality of coins.--The Secretary may mint and issue 
     such number of quarter dollars of each design selected under 
     paragraph (4) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the 
     Secretary determines to be appropriate.
       ``(B) Silver coins.--Notwithstanding subsection (b), the 
     Secretary may mint and issue such number of quarter dollars 
     of each design selected under paragraph (4) as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate, with a content of 90 percent 
     silver and 10 percent copper.
       ``(C) Timing and order of issuance.--Coins minted under 
     this subsection honoring the District of Columbia and each of 
     the territories shall be issued in equal sequential intervals 
     during 2009 in the following order: the District of Columbia, 
     the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the 
     United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands.
       ``(6) Other provisions.--
       ``(A) Application in event of admission as a state.--If the 
     District of Columbia or any territory becomes a State before 
     the end of the 10-year period referred to in subsection 
     (l)(1), subsection (l)(7) shall apply, and this subsection 
     shall not apply, with respect to such State.
       ``(B) Application in event of independence.--If any 
     territory becomes independent or otherwise ceases to be a 
     territory or possession of the United States before quarter 
     dollars bearing designs which are emblematic of such 
     territory are minted pursuant to this subsection, this 
     subsection shall cease to apply with respect to such 
     territory.
       ``(7) Territory defined.--For purposes of this subsection, 
     the term `territory' means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
     Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and 
     the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.''.
                                 ______