[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10344-S10345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               BYRON NELSON CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Committee on 
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs be discharged from further 
consideration of S. 2491 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate 
consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2491) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to 
     Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant contributions 
     to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a 
     commentator.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. BENNETT. 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 the measure be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2491) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2491

       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 ``Byron Nelson Congressional 
     Gold Medal Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds as follows:
       (1) Byron Nelson was a top player in the sport of golf 
     during the World War II era and his accomplishments as a 
     player, a teacher, and commentator are renowned.
       (2) Byron Nelson won 54 career victories, including a 
     record 11 in a row in 1945, during his short 13-year career.
       (3) Byron Nelson won 5 majors, including 2 Masters (1937 
     and 1942), 2 Professional Golf Association (PGA) 
     Championships (1940 and 1945) and the U.S. Open (1939).
       (4) Sports journalist Bill Nichols recently ranked the 
     greatest seasons on the PGA tour for The Dallas Morning News 
     and picked Roanoke, Texas-resident Byron Nelson's 1945 tour 
     as the greatest season of golf in American history.
       (5) In 1945, Byron Nelson accumulated 18 total victories, 
     11 of which were consecutive, while averaging 68.33 strokes 
     per round for 30 tournaments.
       (6) At the Seattle Open in 1945, Byron Nelson shot a record 
     62 for 18 holes and the world record 259, 29 shots under par 
     for 72 holes.
       (7) Byron Nelson is one of only 2 golfers to be named 
     ``Male Athlete of the Year'' twice by the Associated Press: 
     in 1944, when he won 7 tournaments and averaged 69.67 strokes 
     for 85 rounds, and again after his 1945 season.
       (8) The World Golf Hall of Fame honored Byron Nelson in 
     2004 by featuring an exhibit entitled ``Byron Nelson: A 
     Champion . . . A Gentleman''.
       (9) Byron Nelson was selected for the Ryder Cup 4 times--in 
     1937, 1939, 1947 and 1965, and on that last occasion he led 
     the United States Ryder Cup team as team captain to victory 
     over Great Britain.
       (10) Byron Nelson was also a pioneer in the golf business, 
     helping to develop the golf shoes and umbrellas used today.
       (11) In 1966, True Temper created the ``Iron Byron'' robot 
     to replicate Byron Nelson's swing in order to test the 
     company's equipment, but the robot was eventually used for 
     club and ball testing by the United States Golf Association 
     (USGA) and many other manufacturing companies.
       (12) Byron Nelson mentored many golf hopefuls, including 
     1964 Player of the Year Ken Venturi and 6-time PGA Player of 
     the Year Tom Watson.
       (13) Byron Nelson was one of the first golf analysts on 
     network television where his understanding of the game in 
     general, and the golf swing in particular, was demonstrably 
     profound.
       (14) Byron Nelson received the United States Golf 
     Association's Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship 
     in golf in 1974.
       (15) In 1974, the Golf Writers Association of America 
     presented Byron Nelson with the Richardson Award for 
     consistently outstanding contributions to golf.
       (16) Since 1983, the Byron and Louise Nelson Golf Endowment 
     Fund has provided over $1,500,000 in endowment funds to 
     Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.
       (17) Byron Nelson received the PGA Distinguished Service 
     Award in 1993. This award is presented to an individual who 
     has helped perpetuate the ideals and values of the PGA.
       (18) Byron Nelson has served as an honorary chairperson for 
     the Metroport Meals on Wheels since 1992.
       (19) In 1994, the Golf Course Superintendents Association 
     of America presented Byron Nelson with the Old Tom Morris 
     Award for outstanding contributions to the game.
       (20) Byron Nelson helped to develop the Tournament Players 
     Course (TPC) Four Seasons at Los Colinas, Texas, site of the 
     EDS Byron Nelson Championship and the Byron Nelson Golf 
     School, into a world-class facility.
       (21) The EDS Byron Nelson Championship is the only PGA tour 
     event named in honor of a professional golfer and 
     traditionally attracts the strongest players in the sport.
       (22) Since its inception, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship 
     has raised $88,000,000 for Salesmanship Club Youth and Family 
     Centers, a nonprofit agency that provides education and 
     mental health services for more than 2,700 children and their 
     families in the greater Dallas area.
       (23) In 2002, Byron Nelson received the prestigious Donald 
     Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course 
     Architects (ASGCA) for his significant contribution to the 
     game of golf and the profession of golf course architecture.
       (24) The United States Golf Association presented Byron 
     Nelson the Ike Grainger Award for volunteer service to the 
     game of golf in 2002.
       (25) In 2002, the National Golf Foundation presented Byron 
     Nelson with the Graffis Award for outstanding lifelong 
     contributions to the game of golf.

     SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President pro tempore of 
     the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
     shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on 
     behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design 
     to Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant 
     contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and 
     a commentator.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') 
     shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
     inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such 
     regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price 
     sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 
     materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and 
     the cost of the gold medal.

     SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

       (a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this 
     Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 
     31, United States Code.
       (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of 
     title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this 
     Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

       (a) Authority to Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to 
     be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
     Fund, such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs 
     of the medals struck pursuant to this Act.

[[Page S10345]]

       (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of 
     duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be 
     deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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