[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 10, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5170-H5172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MOTHER'S DAY CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 2268) to require the Secretary of the Treasury
to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the establishment
of Mother's Day, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2268
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 ``Mother's Day Centennial
Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress hereby finds as follows:
(1) Anna Jarvis, who is considered to be the founder of the
modern Mother's Day, was born in Webster, West Virginia on
May 1, 1864.
(2) A resident of Grafton, West Virginia, Anna Jarvis
dedicated much of her adult life to honoring her mother, Anna
Reeves Jarvis, who passed on May 9, 1905.
(3) In 1908, the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church of
Grafton, West Virginia, officially proclaimed the third
anniversary of Anna Reeves Jarvis' death to be Mother's Day.
(4) In 1910, West Virginia Governor, William Glasscock,
issued the first Mother's Day Proclamation encouraging all
West Virginians to attend church and wear white carnations.
(5) On May 8, 1914, the Sixty-Third Congress approved H. J.
Res. 263 designating the second Sunday in May to be observed
as Mother's Day and encouraging all Americans to display the
American flag at their homes as a public expression of the
love and reverence for the mothers of our Nation.
(6) On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued a
Presidential Proclamation directing government officials to
display the American flag on all government buildings and
inviting the American people to display the flag at their
homes on the second Sunday of May as a public expression of
the love and reverence for the mothers of our nation.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'')
shall mint and issue not more than 400,000 $1 coins each of
which shall--
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
(b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be
legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United
States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5136 of
title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act
shall be considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--The design of the coins minted
under this Act shall be emblematic of the 100th anniversary
of President Wilson's proclamation designating the second
Sunday in May as Mother's Day.
(b) Designation and Inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this Act there shall be--
[[Page H5171]]
(1) a designation of the value of the coin;
(2) an inscription of the year ``2014''; and
(3) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We
Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus
Unum''.
(c) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this
Act shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the
Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee
established under section 5135 of title 31, United States
Code.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be
issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue
coins minted under this Act beginning January 1, 2014, except
that the Secretary may initiate sales of such coins, without
issuance, before such date.
(c) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins shall be
minted under this Act after December 31, 2014.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, the coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the
Secretary at a price equal to the sum of the face value of
the coins, the surcharge required under section 7(a) for the
coins, and the cost of designing and issuing such coins
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead
expenses, and marketing).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the
coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders at a Discount.--
(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.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) Surcharge Required.--All sales shall include a
surcharge of $10 per coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31,
United States Code, all surcharges which are received by the
Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall
be promptly paid by the Secretary as follows:
(1) \1/2\ to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for the
purpose of furthering research funded by the organization.
(2) \1/2\ to the National Osteoporosis Foundation for the
purpose of furthering research funded by the Foundation.
(c) Audits.--The Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the
National Osteoporosis Foundation shall be subject to the
audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United
States Code, with regard to the amounts received by the
respective organizations under subsection (b).
(d) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), no
surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance under
this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as of the
time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin would result
in the number of commemorative coin programs issued during
such year to exceed the annual 2 commemorative coin program
issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31,
United States Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment
of this Act). The Secretary of the Treasury may issue
guidance to carry out this subsection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs.
Capito) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
General Leave
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous
materials therein.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2268, a bill introduced by the
gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) to create a commemorative
coin honoring the 100th anniversary of Mother's Day. The 297 bipartisan
cosponsors of this bill made clear that the Congress strongly supports
recognizing the importance of Mother's Day in this way, and I am
delighted to add my voice to this chorus.
Mother's Day was first proclaimed in 1908 by the Matthews Methodist
Episcopal Church of Grafton, West Virginia, in honor of one mother,
Anna Reeves Jarvis.
Congress designated the second Sunday in May to be observed as
Mother's Day, and it was recognized as a national day to honor all
mothers by President Woodrow Wilson on May 9, 1914.
The bill calls for a silver dollar to be minted in 2014 with a design
commemorating President Wilson's proclamation. The $10 surcharge
proceeds from their sale is to go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a
household word and organization in combating breast cancer, and to the
National Osteoporosis Foundation for research purposes.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill honoring Mother's Day and
our Nation's mothers, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from New York
(Mrs. Maloney) for her support of this bill, and I am very excited it
is before the House today.
There is a very special bond that exists between mothers and their
children that words cannot describe. For the lucky ones among us, a
mother--our, someone else's, or a mother figure such as a grandmother--
has made all of the difference in our lives. The tender care, unending
support, and the unconditional love of a mother truly are life's
greatest blessing for a child.
Every year on the second Sunday in May this Nation honors its
mothers. We seek to acknowledge their tireless support and their
enduring love. My colleague has spoken about how this tradition began,
but I would like to go over it because it is a proud history of
tradition for our State of West Virginia.
In 1868, Anna Reeves Jarvis organized a committee in her home town of
Grafton, West Virginia, to sponsor a mother's friendship day. The
purpose was to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil
War. However, Anna Reeves Jarvis' dream of an annual memorial Mother's
Day commemorating each mother for the service she renders to humanity
had not gained wide-spread support during her lifetime.
However, her daughter, Anna M. Jarvis, took on her mother's cause. On
May 9, 1907, the second anniversary of her mother's death, Anna invited
friends to her home and outlined her plan to make her mother's dream of
a nationwide day in honor of mothers a reality.
Within a year, working with Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church,
progress was made and on Sunday, May 10, 1908, church services were
held in which mothers were honored. They were held in Grafton, West
Virginia, and in Philadelphia.
This initial celebration was only the beginning. Jarvis worked for
years to popularize her idea. She wrote letters to churches and
business leaders, to newspaper editors and to Members of Congress. She
was even able to bring the drive for a Mother's Day observance to the
attention of the President of the United States.
Her efforts were rewarded. In 1910, the governor of West Virginia,
William Glassock, issued a Mother's Day proclamation. By the next year,
Mother's Day services were held in all States of the Union. In 1914,
President Woodrow Wilson, responding to a joint resolution in Congress,
issued a proclamation setting aside the second Sunday every May for
``displaying the American flag as a public expression of our love and
reverence for the mothers of our country.''
Today, Mother's Day is celebrated throughout the world. In the United
States, the President and governors issue proclamations recognizing
mothers, churches perform services in honor of mothers everywhere, and
the hearts of all are filled with all of our love for our mothers.
This bill would authorize the minting of silver $1 coins in honor of
the women who have sacrificed so much for their children. It is a small
token of our love and admiration, but one that will hopefully express
the love we hold for our mothers. Surcharges of the sale of the coins,
as my colleague mentioned, will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and
the National Osteoporosis Foundation for research.
I chose both of these foundations because I have great admiration for
the work they do for men and women, but particularly for women as we
battle the difficult tragedies of breast cancer and the growing
difficulties associated with osteoporosis which over 80 percent of the
people it strikes are women.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution, but I would like to
take this opportunity to thank my mother. She has made a difference in
my life. I appreciate her unconditional love and
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support, her willingness to help me when I fell, and to push me forward
when I could not find the strength myself.
I love you, Mom, and thanks.
With that, being from West Virginia, I would like to say, too, that
our sense of community and family is very strong. We are so very proud
of Anna Jarvis' vision, her idea and her dedication to celebrate her
own mother, and we are proud to be known as the birthplace of Mother's
Day.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, but would also like to recognize my own mother, as I am sure all
of us in this body appreciate our mothers. This is an important
resolution, and I am proud to be the Democratic sponsor with my good
friend from West Virginia, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
2268, the Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. First, I
would like to thank Representative Capito for authoring this
legislation before us today.
H.R. 2268 would instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and
issue $1 coins in recognition of the 100th anniversary of President
Wilson's proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's
Day.
As an original cosponsor of this bill, I would like to take this
opportunity to thank mothers across this nation for what they have
done, do, and will do to keep our families and our country, strong.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to take the personal privilege of
recognizing my mother, Mrs. Helen Gingrey. Ninety years young, my
mother instilled in me the very values and work ethic that prepared me
to serve in these hallowed halls.
Her example testifies to the fact that we owe so very much to our
mothers, to our fathers, to all those who cleared the way and smoothed
the paths for us to succeed and realize our potential. We should honor
their work not just in word but in deed--by ensuring a smoother,
clearer path for the next generation--for our children and our
grandchildren.
And so, I call upon my colleagues to demonstrate their appreciation
for mothers everywhere by supporting this legislation.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following
correspondence:
House of Representatives,
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC, May 22, 2008.
Hon. Barney Frank,
Chairman, Financial Services Committee,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Frank: I am writing regarding H.R. 2268, the
``Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act.''
As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains
jurisdiction over bills that raise revenue. H.R. 2268
contains a provision that establishes a surcharge for the
sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the bill,
and thus falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on
Ways and Means.
However, as part of our ongoing understanding regarding
commemorative coin bills and in order to expedite this bill
for Floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action.
This is being done with the understanding that it does not in
any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the
appointment of Conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this bill or similar legislation in the future.
I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming
this understanding with respect to H.R. 2268, and would ask
that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be
included in the record.
Sincerely,
Charles B. Rangel,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Financial Services,
Washington, DC, May 21, 2008.
Hon. Charles B. Rangel,
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing in response to your letter
regarding H.R. 2268, the ``Mother's Day Centennial
Commemorative Coin Act,'' which was introduced in the House
and referred to the Committee on Financial Services on May
10, 2007. It is my understanding that this bill will be
scheduled for Floor consideration shortly.
I wish to confirm our mutual understanding on this bill. As
you know, section 7 of the bill establishes a surcharge for
the sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the
bill. I acknowledge your Committee's jurisdictional interest
in such surcharges as revenue matters. However, I appreciate
your willingness to forego committee action on H.R. 2268 in
order to allow the bill to come to the Floor expeditiously. I
agree that your decision to forego further action on this
bill will not prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means with
respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar
legislation. I would support your request for conferees on
those provisions within your jurisdiction should this bill be
the subject of a House-Senate conference.
I will include this exchange of letters in the
Congressional Record when this bill is considered by the
House. Thank you again for your assistance.
Barney Frank,
Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2268, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________