[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S2156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. MARTINEZ (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Nelson of 
        Florida, Mr. Ensign, and Mr. Coleman):
  S. 2777. A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Oscar 
Elias Biscet, in recognition of his courageous and unwavering 
commitment to democracy, human rights, and peaceful change in Cuba; to 
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2777

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet was born on July 20, 1961, in 
     Havana, Cuba;
       (2) Dr. Biscet is married to fellow democracy advocate, 
     Elsa Morejon Hernandez, and he has 2 children;
       (3) Dr. Biscet is currently serving a 25-year prison 
     sentence for allegedly committing crimes against the 
     sovereignty of the Cuban regime;
       (4) in 1997, Dr. Biscet founded the Lawton Foundation for 
     Human Rights, one of the first independent civic groups in 
     Havana, which promotes the study, defense, and denunciation 
     of human rights violations inside Cuba and wherever the 
     rights and liberties of human beings are disregarded;
       (5) as a physician, Dr. Biscet denounced the double-
     standards and systematic repression of the Cuban National 
     Health Care System, and as a result he was forbidden from 
     practicing medicine;
       (6) on February 27, 1999, Dr. Biscet was imprisoned for 3 
     years, after hanging the national flag sideways at a press 
     conference;
       (7) although Cuban independence and democracy advocates 
     have always used this statement as a sign of civil 
     disobedience, the regime nonetheless accused Dr. Biscet of 
     insulting the nation's symbols, public disorder, and inciting 
     criminal activity;
       (8) once released in 2002, and unable to practice medicine, 
     Dr. Biscet engaged in organizing seminars on the Universal 
     Declaration of Human Rights;
       (9) on December 6, 2002, on his way to one such meeting, he 
     and several of the seminar's participants were beaten and 
     arrested;
       (10) on April 7, 2003, Dr. Biscet was sentenced to 25 years 
     in prison and sent to a special state security prison, Kilo 
     Cinco y Medio in Pinar Del Rio province;
       (11) Dr. Biscet has declared himself a ``plantado'', a 
     political prisoner who refuses to undertake ideological 
     ``reeducation'' or wear a common prisoner's uniform and 
     therefor remains in Cuba's political gulag;
       (12) on November 5, 2007, President Bush recognized Dr. 
     Biscet and presented him (in absentia) with the Presidential 
     Medal of Freedom, stating that ``Dr. Biscet is a champion in 
     the fight against tyranny and oppression. Despite being 
     persecuted and imprisoned for his beliefs, he continues to 
     advocate for a free Cuba in which the rights of all people 
     are respected.''; and
       (13) Dr. Biscet is a follower of the Dalai Lama, Ghandhi, 
     and Martin Luther King, and continues to fight every day to 
     bring democracy and justice to Cuba.

     SEC. 2. 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 Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet in recognition of his 
     courageous and unwavering commitment to democracy, human 
     rights, and peaceful change in Cuba.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a 
     gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, 
     to be determined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2, 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. 4. 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 sections 5134 and 
     5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under 
     this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 5. 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 Enterprises 
     Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of 
     the medals struck pursuant to this Act.
       (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of 
     duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 3 shall be 
     deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprises 
     Fund.
                                 ______