[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 13, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H11262-H11267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GIRL SCOUTS USA CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 621) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins
in commemoration of the centennial of the establishment of the Girl
Scouts of the United States of America, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 621
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 ``Girl Scouts USA Centennial
Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress find as follows:
(1) The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is the
world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls
where they build character and skills for success in the real
world.
(2) In 1911, Juliette Gordon Low met Sir Robert Baden-
Powell, a war hero and the founder of the Boy Scouts.
(3) With Baden-Powell's help and encouragement, Juliette
Gordon Low made plans to start a similar association for
American girls.
(4) On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low organized the
first 2 Girl Scout Troops in Savannah, Georgia consisting of
18 members.
(5) Low devoted the next 15 years of her life to building
the organization, which would become the largest voluntary
association for women and girls in the United States.
(6) Low drafted the Girl Scout laws, supervised the writing
of the first handbook in 1913, and provided most of the
financial support for the organization during its early
years.
(7) The Girl Scouts of the United States of America was
chartered by the United States Congress in 1950 in title 36,
United States Code.
(8) Today there are more than 3,700,000 members in 236,000
troops throughout the United States and United States
territories.
(9) Through membership in the World Association of Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts, Girls Scouts of the United States of
America is part of a worldwide family of 10,000,000 girls and
adults in 145 countries.
(10) More than 50,000,000 American women enjoyed Girl
Scouting during their childhood--and that number continues to
grow as Girl Scouts of the United States of America continues
to inspire, challenge, and empower girls everywhere.
(11) March 12, 2012 will mark the 100th Anniversary of the
Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) $1 Silver Coins.--The Secretary of the Treasury
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'')
shall mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1 coins in
commemoration of the centennial of the Girl Scouts of the
USA, 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 sections 5134 and
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.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
Act shall be emblematic of the centennial of the Girl Scouts
of the United States of America.
(2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this Act, there shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ``2013''; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We
Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus
Unum''.
(b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this
Act shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the
Girl Scouts of the United States of America and the
Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be
issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Mint Facility.--
(1) In general.--Only 1 facility of the United States Mint
may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins
minted under this Act.
(2) Use of the united states mint at west point, new
york.--It is the sense of the Congress that the coins minted
under this Act should be struck at the United States Mint at
West Point, New York, to the greatest extent possible.
(c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins
under this Act only during the calendar year beginning on
January 1, 2013.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be
sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7 with respect to
such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, and shipping).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the
coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(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) In General.--All sales of coins issued under this Act
shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31,
United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary
from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be paid to
the Girl Scouts of the United States of America to be made
available for Girl Scout program development and delivery.
(c) Audits.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall have the right to examine such books, records,
documents, and other data of the Girl Scouts of the United
States of America as may be related to the expenditures of
amounts paid 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.
SEC. 8. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) Continued Issuance of Certain Commemorative Coins
Minted in 2009.--Notwithstanding sections 303 and 304 of the
Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 (31 U.S.C. 5112 nt.), the
Secretary of the Treasury may continue to issue numismatic
items that contain 1-cent coins minted in 2009 after December
31, 2009, until not later than June 30, 2010.
(b) Distribution of Surcharges.--Section 7 of the Jamestown
400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act of 2004 (31 U.S.C.
5112 nt.) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by striking ``in equal
shares'' and all that follows through the period at the end
and inserting ``in the proportion specified to the following
organizations for the purposes described in such
subparagraph:
``(i) 2/3 to the Association for the Preservation of
Virginia Antiquities.
``(ii) 1/3 to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation of the
Commonwealth of Virginia.''; and
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ``, the Secretary of the
Interior,''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Foster) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. FOSTER. Madam 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 material thereon.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, in 1912, just 18 girls from Georgia came together in
what would become the first meeting of the Girl Scouts. Since then, the
program has grown to 3.7 million girls to become the organization that
we know today. To date, the Girl Scouts have shown 5 million girls how
to lead, how to work together, and how to serve our communities.
The Girl Scouts of the United States have had such prestigious
members as
[[Page H11263]]
the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, former Supreme Court Justice;
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; former Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright; and former First Lady Nancy Reagan.
The Fox Valley Girl Scouts Council, which serves portions of my
congressional district, has 6,000 registered members sponsored by over
1,600 adult volunteers. I appreciate the work of these Girl Scouts, who
have devoted so much time and effort to community service projects in
our community.
I am pleased to be a cosponsor of H.R. 621, and I thank Mr. Kingston
for introducing it. H.R. 621 directs the Secretary of the Treasury to
mint and to issue up to 350,000 one dollar coins in commemoration of
the centennial of the founding of the Girl Scouts.
The Girl Scouts of the USA has helped shape millions of young girls'
lives, and in turn strengthened our communities. I congratulate the
Girl Scouts on their 97 years of service and look forward to the
passage of this piece of legislation so that we can join with them in
celebrating their centennial in 2012.
Madam Speaker, I submit the following correspondence.
October 13, 2009.
Hon. Barney Frank,
Chairman, Financial Services Committee, 2129 Rayburn House
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Frank: I am writing regarding H.R. 621, the
``Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act of
2009.''
As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains jurisdiction
over bills that raise revenue. H.R. 621 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. 621, and would ask that a copy of
our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the record.
Sincerely,
Charles B. Rangel,
Chairman.
____
October 13, 2009.
Hon. Charles B. Rangel,
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Charlie: I am writing in response to your letter
regarding H.R. 621, the ``Girl Scouts USA Centennial
Commemorative Coin Act,'' which was introduced in the House
and referred to the Committee on Financial Services on
January 21, 2009. 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. 621 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.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
It is a great honor to be here with Mr. Foster, and I want to thank
Mr. Bachus and Mr. Frank and the members of the Financial Services
Committee for their support of this commemorative coin bill.
This commemorative coin, like all commemorative coins, will pay for
itself. Once it has done that, the additional money that it brings in
will benefit the centennial activities of the Girl Scouts of the United
States of America, as well as helping with some of the repairs of the
Juliette Gordon Low birthplace, her childhood home, which is located in
Savannah, Georgia.
I think I, like so many people, have great memories of Girl Scouts,
even though I wasn't one. My sisters, Betty, Barbara, and Jean, were
all Girl Scouts, and they all wore their Brownie uniforms and then
their Girl Scout uniforms, and my mother was one of the--I want to say
den mother, and, Madam Speaker, I don't know the exact title, but she
was a consultant--a leader. A great Girl Scout on the front row, Ms.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, has corrected me. But they had those sashes. And I
was a Y-boy and we didn't get sashes.
{time} 1915
We didn't get to earn merit badges. But I always thought what a great
system of training people. And of course, Girl Scouts got to sell the
cookies, of which I not only did not have to sell, but I got to eat. So
I got two great benefits from them, and so many other people did the
same.
Girl Scout cookies actually started in December 1917, and that was
when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, started baking cookies,
and they sold them in their high school that year. And then it grew in
the 1920s and the 1930s, Girl Scouts followed suit all over the country
and started to sell them. They sold them for 25 and 35 cents a dozen
and in time had 11 varieties. And can I get a favorite? I think
everybody would vote on a bipartisan basis, it is the Thin Mint.
Mr. FOSTER. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. KINGSTON. I will be happy to yield to my friend.
Mr. FOSTER. I very much share your opinion. I have to address the
Speaker. I'm sure the Speaker and everyone in this room agrees that
Thin Mints are the cookie of choice.
Mr. KINGSTON. See, Madam Speaker, only the Girl Scouts could bring
such bipartisan fellowship here so quickly in a bill.
Juliette Gordon Low was an amazing historical figure. She was
actually nicknamed Daisy as a child. Her parents were early settlers,
on the dad's side from Georgia, and her mother's family came from
Chicago. She was born on Halloween in 1860 and grew up during the Civil
War in the difficult Reconstruction period in the Deep South. Her
father owned a big house, and she developed a fondness as a child for
writing poems, sketching, painting. She acted in plays and became a
sculptor and a blacksmith.
Her brother, George Arthur Gordon, described her this way: She was
deeply religious, quite superstitious, and a confirmed hero worshiper.
Underneath her bubbling, irrepressible gaiety, there was a deep,
generous, loyal, loving, striving, brave, self-sacrificing personality.
She had her full share of slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and
she not only met them, as the poet advised, by opposing, but in every
crisis of her life she faced fate with a smiling defiance that was
simply sublime. And that's from somebody who would know her well.
As a child, she started a group called Helping Hands to help make
clothes for the poor. She grew up in Savannah but went to a boarding
school in Virginia. She made her debut in Savannah and enjoyed the good
life. She married a young man which her parents weren't really crazy
about because of their age, but they went ahead and got married and I
guess, showing her streak of independence, got married on her parents'
29th wedding anniversary date, December 21, 1886, and got married in
Christ Episcopal Church, where she was also christened and later would
be buried.
Juliette Gordon Low had a hearing problem, and when she was leaving
the church, at her wedding, on her wedding day, rice was being thrown,
and one found itself lodged in her ear. It caused a problem which
caused her to lose much of her hearing, and she went through life
almost deaf, which later served her, though, because, as a fundraiser,
she could pretend to not understand when people said ``no'' when she
was asking for money for the Girl Scouts, so she would persevere and
get more money from them.
[[Page H11264]]
But an interesting thing happened to Juliette Gordon Low on the way
to a good life. After the Spanish American War, her marriage fell
apart, and when it did, she wasn't sure what her sense of direction
would be and actually considered being a sculptor. But in 1911, she met
Sir Robert Baden-Powell who, as we know, started the Boy Scouts in
England, and he told Ms. Low about a sister organization that his own
biological sister had started in England called the Girl Guides. He
recommended to her that she do the same thing.
So, as Mr. Foster has said, when she came back to America on March
12, 1912, she started the Girl Scouts of America, and actually wrote a
friend a note and said, come right over; I have something for all the
girls of Savannah and all America and all the world, and we're going to
start it tonight. And they did start it. And by the time she died,
there were 168,000 members of the Girl Scouts from that first 18.
The impact that they had has been national and international. Girl
Scouts have been all over the map, and their history has followed the
history of the United States. They collected clothes during the
Depression. They made quilts. They carved wood toys. They gathered food
for the poor. They assisted in hospitals. They participated in food
drives and canning programs, provided meals to undernourished program,
and in World War II, they operated a bicycle courier service and
invested more than 48,000 hours in farm aid projects, collected fat and
scrap metal, and grew victory gardens. They also collected 1\1/2\
million articles of clothing that were shipped overseas to children and
adult victims of the war.
Nearly 100 years ago this happened, and yet Juliette Gordon Low's
legacy of friendship, education and ideals is today shared by 3.8
million girls and women. We should be very proud to live in a country
where such an organization exists, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of
this legislation.
I rise to honor the Girl Scouts of the United States and their
founder, Juliette Gordon Low. H.R. 621 would create a Girl Scouts
Commemorative Coin in celebration of their 100th Birthday. Proceeds of
this coin will benefit Centennial activities and the Birthplace of
Juliette Gordon Low.
Today, the Girl Scouts are known for their cookies--of course--and
their blue, green, or brown scouting uniforms, but most importantly,
the Girl Scouts are known for their dedication in growing and nurturing
life skills of young women around the globe. Scouts can earn over 300
badges and awards throughout their journey as a Scout for completing
tasks which expand areas of knowledge and experience. These badges vary
from Computer Smarts, to Money Sense, to First Aid, to Sports and
Games, and Heritage. Girl Scouts number nearly 3.8 million--2.8 million
girl members and 963,000 adult members.
Although cookie sales are the most recognized Girl Scouting Activity,
they started on a much smaller scale. Girl Scout Cookies had their
earliest beginnings in the kitchens of Scouts themselves--with their
mothers' assistance. The earliest mention of a cookie sale found to
date was by the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which baked
cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project
in December 1917. In the 1920s and 1930s, Girl Scouts in different
parts of the country continued to bake their own simple sugar cookies
with their mothers. These cookies were packaged in wax paper bags,
sealed with a sticker, and sold door to door for 25 to 35 cents per
dozen. This project has now expanded to 11 varieties of cookies, with
Thin Mints as the annual favorite.
Selling cookies began just five years after Juliette Gordon Low
started Girl Scouts in the United States in 1912. The Founder, Juliet
Gordon, was born in Savannah, Georgia on Halloween 1860. Affectionately
called ``Daisy'' (which is now the name of the youngest troop
designation) by family and close friends, Juliette's paternal family
were early settlers in Georgia and her mother's family played an
important role in the founding of Chicago. She was the second of 6
children and grew up during the difficult era of the Civil War and
Reconstruction.
Daisy spent her early years in Wayne-Gordon House in Savannah,
Georgia. In 1818, Savannah Mayor James Moore Wayne, later a U.S.
Supreme Court Justice, purchased a double house lot on the northeast
corner of Bull and South Broad streets. The house constructed for Wayne
at a cost of $6,500, consisted of a two-story, double town house over a
raised basement. In 1831, James Moore Wayne sold the house to his
niece, Sarah Stites Anderson Gordon, and her husband, William
Washington Gordon I, Daisy's parents. Today, this is the location of
the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace and Girl Scout museum.
In this house, young Daisy developed a lifetime interest in the
arts--wrote poems, sketched, wrote and acted in plays, and later became
a skilled painter, sculptor, and blacksmith. She had many pets
throughout her life and was particularly fond of exotic birds, Georgia
mockingbirds, and dogs. Daisy was also known for her great sense of
humor. Her brother, George Arthur Gordon, described her this way, ``She
was deeply religious, quite superstitious and a confirmed hero
worshiper. Underneath her bubbling, irrepressible gaiety, there was a
deep, generous, loyal, loving, striving, brave, self-sacrificing
personality. She had her full share of slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune, and she not only met them as the poet advised, by opposing,
but in every crisis of her life she faced fate with a smiling defiance
that was simply sublime.''
Her dedication to the community started at a young age. As a
teenager, Juliette formed her first organization, the ``Helping
Hands'', whose activities included making clothes for the poor.
Juliette was a great organizer of people and situations, though not
particularly organized herself.
Juliette attended school in Savannah, and moved to a boarding school
at Virginia Female Institute (now Stuart Hall School) during her teens.
She later attended Mlles Charbonniers, a French finishing school in New
York City and traveled extensively in the United States and Europe
after schooling. After her debut in Savannah, Daisy met the handsome
and charming William Mackay Low--nicknamed Billow. Billow's father was
an associate of Daisy's father and a prosperous British shipping tycoon
with Savannah ties. Although her parents would never approve of a
relationship between them, Daisy became convinced if she did not marry
him, she would not marry at all. She characteristically continued to
conceal her feelings from her family and friends; only revealing her
innermost thoughts to her diary.
A year later, she became secretly engaged to Billow in January of
1886. When the engagement was revealed, her parents expectedly opposed
the relationship as they felt that Billow was too spoiled and
irresponsible to care for a wife and family. However, Daisy and Billow
were both of age and Billow was bestowed with his father's fortune. On
December 21, 1886--on her parents' 29th wedding anniversary--Juliette
married Low at Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah, Georgia. She
believed that, since her parents' marriage had been an idyllic one, the
date would be lucky for her as well. During her wedding exit, a grain
of good-luck rice became lodged in Daisy's ear. When trying to remove
the rice, the doctor punctured the eardrum and damaged the nerve-
endings resulting in a total loss of hearing in that ear at the age of
26. Her other ear had previously lost hearing because of an improperly
treated abscess in 1885.
Juliette would later use her hearing impediment to her benefit. When
asking for donations, she would purposely play deaf to not hear the
word ``no.'' Instead, she would respond with the date she would come by
to pick up the donation. However, her deafness did have an effect in
certain social situations--during dinner function, a speaker rose to
acknowledge Juliette. She became upset when the audience was not
clapping at every pause, so she began clapping--unaware that the
speaker was talking about her own accomplishments. A fellow diner had
to stop her, as it is not proper to clap for yourself.
Putting difficulty aside, Juliette Low continued the luxurious life
of a young Victorian lady during her married years in both England and
Savannah. During the Spanish-American War, however, Juliette came back
to America to aid in the war effort. She helped her mother organize a
recovery hospital for wounded soldiers returning from Cuba. Her father
(who had been a captain in the Confederate Army) was commissioned as a
general in the U.S. Army and served on the Puerto Rican Peace
Commission. At the end of the war, Juliette returned to England to a
disintegrating marriage. The Lows were separated at the time of her
husband's death in 1905.
Daisy considered herself to be a failure. She had no children, a
failed marriage, and was left with little money from her husband. She
was looking for something useful to do with her life and was
considering becoming a professional sculptor when, in 1911, she met Sir
Robert Baden-Powell. Sir Robert, a military hero with a keen interest
in young people, was also a painter and sculptor, an interest he shared
with Daisy.
He had begun a successful group in England known as the Boy Scouts.
He was shocked to discover that 6,000 girls had joined the Boy Scouts,
and urged his sister ``do something'' with the girls--so she began a
parallel organization called Girl Guides. Sir Robert told Daisy about
the two groups; she wrote in her diary after meeting him, ``He has
ideas, which if I followed them, a more useful sphere of work might
open before me in the
[[Page H11265]]
future.'' In 1912, Juliette returned to Savannah and called her cousin,
principal of a local girl's school, and told her to ``Come right over!
I have something for all the girls of Savannah, and all America, and
all the world and we're going to start it tonight!''
That was the beginning of the Girl Scouts USA.
The first Girl Guide meeting in the U.S. was held March 12, 1912. The
first two patrols (today known as troops) consisted of 18 girls. They
wore the blue uniform of the British Girl Guides and used the same
handbook as the British Guides. Juliette, an inveterate fund raiser,
would use all sort of baited props to gain donations including a tomato
tin with assorted Girl Scouts badges and awards to ``pin'' donors, and
a hat decorated with root vegetables. When asked the purpose of her
hat, she simply replied that she could not afford to properly decorate
her hat as she donated most of her money to the Girl Scouts and then of
course asked for an additional donation for the cause.
In 1913, the American girls decided they wanted their own identity
and the name was changed to Girl Scouts and Juliette published the
first handbook, ``How Girls Can Help Their Country; A Handbook for Girl
Scouts.'' In her handbook, Daisy encouraged girls to participate in
competitive sports and to develop career skills in short to BE PREPARED
for life--still a guiding principle today. Juliette was also known for
humorous antics such as standing on her head in a board meeting to show
off the new Girl Scout shoes--a move usually saved for an ill niece or
nephew.
During the mid-1920s, Juliette Low developed cancer,
characteristically, she kept her illness hidden from family and
friends. She served as President from 1915 until 1920 then she
stepped down and assumed the role of the ``Founder'' of the Girl
Scouts. In the 15 years that she worked with the organization, Girl
Scouts grew from 18 members in Savannah to 168,000 members nationally.
Juliette Low was honored for her contributions on Georgia Day,
February 12, 1926 by the city of Savannah and the state of Georgia in a
large celebration held in Forsythe Park. She was able to attend the
World Conference of Girl Guide and Girl Scouts in 1926 held at Edith
Macy Girl Scout National Center just outside of New York City.
Following the conference, she took a trip back to England to say good-
bye to her friends. She died at her home on Lafayette Square on January
17, 1927 at the age of 66. Her funeral was held at Christ Church--the
same in which she was married and christened--and was attended by
hundreds of community members and her beloved Girl Scouts. She is
buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery in the Gordon Family plot.
Throughout America's history, the Girl Scouts have reacted to many
differing needs During World War I, girls learned about food production
and conservation, sold war bonds, worked in hospitals, and collected
peach pits for use in gas mask filters. By 1920, there were nearly
70,000 Girl Scouts nationwide, including the territory of Hawaii and
new Girl Scout badges included Economist and Interpreter, and revisions
already were being made to the Journalist and Motorist badges. Girl
Scouts led community relief efforts during the Great Depression by
collecting clothing, making quilts, carving wood toys, gathering food
for the poor, assisting in hospitals, participating in food drives and
canning programs, and providing meals to undernourished children.
During WWII, Girl Scouts operated bicycle courier services, invested
more than 48,000 hours in Farm Aide projects, collected fat and scrap
metal, and grew Victory Gardens. They also collected 1.5 million
articles of clothing that were then shipped overseas to children and
adult victims of war.
Today, nearly 100 years later, Juliet Gordon Low's legacy of
friendship, education, and ideals is shared and perpetuated by over 3.8
million currently registered Girl Scouts and, through USA Girl Scouts
Overseas, her influence extends around the world. Every day, the Girl
Scouts help mold young women and girls throughout our Nation by
empowering them with knowledge and experience. This organization allows
girls from all backgrounds to benefit from enriching experiences such
as field trips, sporting activities, cultural exchanges, and volunteer
work. In its near 100 years, more than 50+ million American women
befitted from Girl Scouting in their childhood.
In addition to their National and global success, many former members
carry the Girl Scouts legacy. One-third of female elected officials and
almost 80% of female CEOs were Girl Scouts, in addition to sports
stars, astronauts, presidential families, cartoonists, singers,
actresses, Olympic medalists, and even a Supreme Court Justice.
I am honored to support the Girl Scouts 100 years, their dedicated
Founder Juliette Gordon Low, and the crucial principles which they
instill in each and every Girl Scout member. I wish them another 100
years of success.
Below I have listed some of the more famous Girl Scouts. But most of
all I want to give special thanks to Allison Thigpen who helped with
the passage of this legislation and without it would not be possible to
bring H.R. 621 to the floor.
Bellamy, Carol--Executive Director, UNICEF
Dole, Elizabeth--Former President, American Red Cross
Katen, Karen--Vice President, Pfizer
Marram, Ellen--Former President, Tropicana
Bush, Laura--Wife of President George Bush, Jr (43rd
President)
Clinton, Chelsea--Daughter of Bill Clinton (42nd President)
Gore, Tipper--Wife of former VP Al Gore
Johnson Robb, Lynda,--Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th
President)
Johnson Turpin, Luci,--Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th
President)
Kennedy, Ethel--Wife of Robert Kennedy (Presidential
candidate)
Nixon Cox, Tricia--Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th
President)
Nixon Eisenhower, Julie--Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th
President)
Reagan, Nancy--Wife of Ronald Reagan (40th President)
Rodham Clinton, Hillary--Wife of Bill Clinton (42nd
President)
Albright, Madeleine--former US Secretary of State
Napolitano, Janet--D-AZ; Former Governor
Collins, Lt Col Eileen--1st Woman Space Shuttle Commander
Astronaut
6 American Astronauts
Day O'Connor, Sandra--Associate Justice, US Supreme Court
Jones, Starr--Co-host, ``The View'', ABC-TV
Sweeney, Anne--President, Disney/ABC Cable Network
Walters, Barbara--Anchorwoman of ABC ``20/20''
Allison, Jacqueline--Rear Admiral/Navy
Edmunds, Jeanette--Colonel, US Army War Reserve
Elliot, Carol C.--Brigadier General, USAF
Engel, Joan--Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety
Fishburne, Lillian--Rear Admiral/Navy
Frost, Kathy--The Adjutant General of the Army
Johnson, Joyce--Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety
Kirkpatrick, Jeanne--Former US Ambassador to the United
Nations
McGann, Barbara--Rear Admiral/Navy
Paige, Kathleen K--RADM, VSN
Stierle, Linda--Brigadier General
Widnall, Sheila--US Secretary of Air Force--retired
Williamson, Myrna, Gen.--Retired Army General
Bergen, Candace--Actress
Crow, Sheryl--Singer/Songwriter
Fisher, Carrie--Actress, Author
Lucci, Susan--Actress
Merchant, Natalie--Singer, Songwriter
Reynolds, Debbie--Actress
Stewart, Martha--TV Personality; Martha Stewart Living
Moore, Ann--Publisher, ``People'' magazine
Dion, Celine--Singer
Moore, Mary Tyler--Actress
Fanning, Dakota--Actress
Ackerman, Valede--Women's National Basketball
Bell, Judy--Former President, US Golf Association; amateur
golfer
Blair, Bonnie--'94 Gold Olympian Speed Skater
Fleming, Peggy--'68 figure skating gold Olympian
Hamill, Dorothy--'76 figure skating gold Olympian
Joyner-Kersee, Jacqueline--'88 Long Jump Gold Olympian
MacMillan, Shannon--Women's World Cup Member
Marquis, Gail--Olympic Basketball Medalist; basketball
commentator
McPeak, Holly--Beach Pro Volleyball
McTiernan, Kerri-Ann--1st woman coach men's basketball
Powell, Renee--1st African American Golf Player on LPGA
Redman, Susie--Pro-golfer
Rigby-Mason, Cathy--Olympic Gymnast & TV Commentator
St. John Deane, Bonnie--Paralympic Snow Skiing Medalist
St. James, Lyn--Auto Racing; '92 Indy 500 ``Rookie of the
Year''
Williams, Venus--Tennis Champion
Dove, Rita--'93 US Poet Laureate
Steinem, Gloria--Author
Brandon, Barbara--Cartoonist
Gist, Carole--1st African American Miss USA
Whitestone, Heather--Miss America, '95
Thigpen, Allison--Hill Staffer Extraordinaire
Girl Scout Members of Congress
Baldwin, Tammy--D-WI; House
Biggert, Judy--R-IL; House
Bono, Mary--R-CA; House
Capps, Lois--D-CA; House
Chenoweth, Helen--R-ID; House
Christensen, Donna--D-VI; House
Clayton, Eva--D-NC; House
Collins, Susan--D-ME; Senate
Cubin, Barbara--R-WY; House
DeGette, Diana--D-CO; House
Emerson, JoAnn--R-MO; House
Eshoo, Anna G.--D-CA; House
Fowler, Tillie--R-FL; House
Granger, Kay--R-TX; House
[[Page H11266]]
Hutchison, Kay Bailey--R-TX; Senate
Jackson-Lee, Sheila--D-TX; House
Johnson, Eddie Bernice--D-TX; House
Kaptur, Marcy--D-OH; House
Kilpatrick, Carolyn Cheeks--D-MI; House
Landrieu, Mary--D-LA; Senate
Lee, Barbara--D-CA; House
Lincoln, Blanche--D-AR; Senate
Lowey, Nita--D-NY; House
McCarthy, Carolyn--D-NY; House
McCarthy, Karen--D-MO; House
Meek, Carrie P.--D-FL; House
Mikulski, Barbara--D-MD; Senate
Millender-McDonald, Juanita--D-CA; House
Mink, Patsy--D-HI; House
Murray, Patty--D-WA; Senate
Myrick, Sue--R-NC; House
Northup, Anne--R-KY; House
Pryce, Deborah--R-OH; House
Rodham Clinton, Hillary--D-NY; Senate
Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana--R-FL; House
Roukema, Marge--R-NJ; House
Sanchez, Loretta--D-CA; House
Schakowsky, Jan--D-IL; House
Slaughter, Louise M.--D-NY; House
Stabenow, Deborah--D-MI; House
Tauscher, Ellen O.--D-CA; House
Thurman, Karen L.--D-FL; House
Tubbs Jones, Stephanie--D-OH; House
Wilson, Heather--R-NM; House
Woolsey, Lynn--D-CA; House
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FOSTER. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms.
Wasserman Schultz).
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, before I begin my remarks in
support of H.R. 621, I do want to suggest to the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Kingston) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster) that Samoas
would probably give Thin Mints a run for their money, just speaking
from personal experience. I'm out there helping my daughters drag that
wagon behind me.
Mr. KINGSTON. Will my friend yield a minute?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I'd be happy to yield.
Mr. KINGSTON. I just was wondering, can you put those in vanilla ice
cream and crunch them the same way you can the Thin Mints? Can you say
in your heart of hearts they really have the substance and the property
that you're looking for as you bite down? I'm only asking.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Reclaiming my time, the gentleman would be
interested and thrilled to learn that both Samoas and Thin Mints are
now in ice cream that are special edition Edy's brand ice creams that
are sold during the time in January when the Girl Scouts are out there
selling their cookies for a good cause.
Mr. KINGSTON. Well, let me say to my friend, I stand instructed, and
I appreciate being schooled today.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I'm glad to provide you with the furtherance
of your education on the Girl Scouts whose leaders, by the way, are not
den mothers. Those are the Cub Scouts. Troop leaders are the actual
title for Girl Scouts, and den mothers are Cub Scouts.
Anyway, I realize that that has cut into much of my 2 minutes, so if
the gentleman would further yield.
Mr. FOSTER. I yield the gentlelady another minute.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Thank you very much.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 621, the Girl Scouts
USA Commemorative Coin Act. It is an honor to work with the sponsor of
this important legislation, my friend and colleague from Georgia,
Representative Jack Kingston.
As you may know, and as he has so wonderfully detailed, 97 years ago
the first Girl Scout National Council meeting was held right here in
Washington, D.C., and founder Juliette Gordon Low was elected
president. Ms. Low envisioned providing a safe place, an environment of
acceptance where girls could be inspired and challenged to build the
necessary skills to become leaders. This vision still holds strong
today, and the Girl Scouts provide the premier opportunity for girls
and women to develop the talents and confidence necessary for a
lifetime of leadership.
Being involved in this pursuit means something different to everyone.
To me, it means leading by example every day. I'm honored to serve in
the United States Congress, Madam Speaker, and I'm proud to tell you
that not only was I a Girl Scout, but I am currently a troop leader for
my 10-year-old daughter, Rebecca, her troop, and have been for 4 years;
and now this year, for the first time, for my 6-year-old daughter
Shelby's Brownie troop. But I never stopped being a Girl Scout myself,
because I'm currently a member, as I know you are, of Troop Capitol
Hill, the honorary Congressional Girl Scout Troop for all women Members
of Congress.
In each of these roles, I personally see how Girl Scouts enriches the
lives of millions of girls and their families through innovative
programming that embraces the rich diversity of communities across our
country. Girl Scouts are working day and night to make the world a
better place. Through projects in their schools, local neighborhoods,
and the international community, they touch lives in many ways. The
Girl Scouts Commemorative Coin Act would recognize all the significant
contributions of the Girl Scouts movement.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. FOSTER. I yield the gentlelady an additional minute.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. The Girl Scouts Commemorative Coin Act would
recognize all of the significant contributions of the Girl Scouts
movement and commend their century of service to this country. I
strongly join my colleagues in urging our colleagues to vote in favor
of this worthy legislation.
Mr. KINGSTON. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr.
Paulsen).
Mr. PAULSEN. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his
leadership on this issue as well.
For nearly 100 years, the Girl Scouts have helped girls throughout
the United States develop their full individual potential. The first
Girl Scout troop was founded on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia.
And since then, more than 50 million American women have enjoyed Girl
Scouting during their childhood, and that number's still growing.
There's over 3.7 million Girl Scouts across the Nation today. And as
the father of four daughters, I can speak to the testament where Cassie
and Briana were involved in the Girl Scouts themselves, and Tayler and
Liesl still are actively participating in the Girl Scouts, and I
certainly understand the importance that this institution has had and
is having on their life.
So through a variety of experiences, ranging from field trips to
community service projects to cultural exchanges, the Girl Scouts have
helped girls build individual character and skills to succeed in
today's world. And by fostering the development of these skills, the
Girl Scouts have helped millions of girls contribute to the improvement
of society through their abilities, their leadership skills and
cooperation with others.
2012 will mark the 100th year anniversary of Girl Scouting here in
the United States of America. And the legislation before us with the
leadership of the gentleman, my colleague from Illinois, as well, would
honor this milestone by authorizing the minting of 350,000 $1 coins,
and the proceeds from that sale of these commemorative coins would, in
turn, go back to the Girl Scouts program which is so important. And the
Senate counterpart bill I know, as well, has over 70 cosponsors and is
moving forward in a bipartisan manner. I expect it's going to pass
swiftly as well.
But finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the cookies as
well, and I'll put in one more vote. It's been a staple of Girl Scout
fundraising for a long period of time all the way back to 1917. But
just like my colleagues from Illinois and Georgia, my personal favorite
is the Thin Mint.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. KINGSTON. I yield 20 more seconds to the gentleman only because
he's a Thin Mint person.
Mr. PAULSEN. Just seeing Dairy Queen as an institution also cooperate
with the Girl Scouts to promote their cookie sales is outstanding.
So, Madam Speaker, this legislation before us honors an institution
that has positively impacted the fabric of America for decades, and I
encourage my colleagues to support it.
Mr. FOSTER. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms.
Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Illinois and the
gentleman from Georgia for their respective leadership, and I will just
tell you that my memory on what flavors I
[[Page H11267]]
enjoyed may be a little dull. My daughter is a little bit older than 12
or 15 or 20 or 25, and at that point I will stop for fear of her
commentary on me giving her age. But I will say that I am honored to
stand and support the Girl Scouts and the congressional coin in honor
of them for the very special reason that I had the pleasure of watching
my daughter grow up as a Girl Scout, but more particularly carry around
those Girl Scout cookies in my Taurus station wagon and compete against
the other mothers to make sure that we sold the most. And I would say
to you that all of them were gourmet, because whichever box was left
over, we told the person who was buying it it's the best bunch of
cookies you could ever buy.
{time} 1930
This is very special because this is a combination of two wonderful
people, Juliette Gordon Low and Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Mr. Baden-
Powell was a war hero and a founder of the Boy Scouts. What a perfect
combination. So he encouraged his wife, or she was encouraged by him,
and sought his help to establish the Girl Scouts in 1912. So in 1912
they started, and so 2012 they will have their 100th year.
But I really want to focus on why the Girl Scouts were so important,
what they did for my daughter, Erica Shelwyn Lee. The interesting thing
is that the Girl Scouts was founded even before women had the right to
vote. They were the early underpinnings of giving girls leadership
skills, how special that can be. And now we find there are 236,000
troops--and they're called ``troop leaders'' by the way--and there are
10 million girls today around the world that are made up of Girl
Guides, and Girl Scouts, and Girl Scouts of the United States of
America, all part of a worldwide family of 10 million girls and adults
in 145 countries. What a success story.
And so this is an important affirmation of how important Girl Scouts
have been to the building of character of women.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished gentleman.
This is an affirmation of what leadership skills can do for America.
Girl Scouts have grown up to be many outstanding leaders here and
around the world. But one thing I think is very important. It teaches
young girls team partnership, the ability to work together, the ability
to succeed together and fail together and not give up.
So I am very glad to rise and salute the Girl Scouts of the United
States of America but also to applaud this legislation of H.R. 621. I
congratulate my friend from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) and my good friend
Mr. Foster from Illinois for this great legislation, and all of those
sponsors, and I am pleased to advocate for its passage.
Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, if I could ask an inquiry of my friend
from Texas.
Now, you have not said which cookie is your favorite. You did kind of
sidestep it, saying they were all gourmet, but Mr. Foster and I just
want to know.
I yield the gentlewoman 2 minutes on this very important issue.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I do remember them coming in big brown
boxes, and I had them all stuffed in my station wagon going from door
to door. But the shortbread ones have to be the best.
I know you all had all of the mint and the Samoas, but the shortbread
was the tastiest. I love the shortbread. Texas likes it big and simple,
and shortbread did the job.
Mr. KINGSTON. I would ordinarily tell my friend I am a little
disappointed. However, inasmuch as you have explained it so eloquently,
I will say we'll give the shortbread honorable mention here.
And I saw Mr. Gingrey raised his hand as a shortbread guy himself.
I yield to the gentlelady.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. This is the true spirit of bipartisanship,
and I am delighted that we are rising today to support this very fine
bill to honor the Girl Scouts of America with this gold coin.
Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, we have no other speakers. I was going
to finish a statement real quickly and then yield back the balance of
our time.
And I wanted to say with Ms. Jackson-Lee here and Ms. Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen that these are two of our Girl Scout Members. I have a list of
other Members who I will be submitting for the Record.
But also, Madam Speaker, I want to say that this bill also contains a
pair of coin-related technical corrections, one of which allows an
extension in the sale of the proof set contained in the 2009 Abraham
Lincoln bicentennial one-cent coins because of a manufacturing glitch
which slowed down the production of approved sets. Taken together,
though, this bill is still budget neutral.
The Senate counterpart bill has more than 70 cosponsors, and I expect
swift consideration of this bill there as well.
And so, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important
legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FOSTER. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 621, 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.
____________________