[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 113 (Thursday, July 26, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5625-S5626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL CENTURY OF SERVICE COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged from further consideration of
S. 1299 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 bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1299) to require the Secretary of the Treasury
to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the
establishment of Lions Clubs International.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third
time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and
that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 1299) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading,
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:
S. 1299
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 ``Lions Clubs International
Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Lions Clubs International is the world's largest
service club organization founded in 1917 by Chicago business
leader Melvin Jones. Lions Clubs International empowers
volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian
needs, encourage peace and promote international
understanding through Lions clubs.
(2) Today, Lions Clubs International has over 1.35 million
members in more than 45,000 clubs globally, extending its
mission of service throughout the world every day.
(3) In 1945, Lions Clubs International became one of the
first nongovernmental organizations invited to assist in
drafting the United Nations Charter and has enjoyed a special
relationship with the United Nations ever since.
(4) In 1968, Lions Clubs International Foundation was
established to assist with global and large-scale local
humanitarian projects and has since then awarded more than
$700 million to fund five unique areas of service: preserving
sight, combating disability, promoting health, serving youth
and providing disaster relief.
(5) In 1990, the Lions Clubs International Foundation
launched the SightFirst program to build comprehensive eye
care systems to fight the major causes of blindness and care
for the blind or visually impaired. Thanks to the generosity
of Lions worldwide, over $415 million has been raised,
resulting in the prevention of serious vision loss in 30
million people and improved eye care for hundreds of millions
of people.
(6) On June 7, 2017, Lions Clubs International will
celebrate 100 years of community service to men, women, and
children in need throughout the world.
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 400,000 $1 coins in
commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Lions
Clubs International, 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 Lions Clubs
International.
(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 ``2017''; 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) chosen by the Secretary after consultation with Lions
Clubs International Special Centennial Planning Committee 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.--Only one facility of the United States
Mint may be used to
[[Page S5626]]
strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this
Act.
(c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins
under this Act only during the calendar year beginning on
January 1, 2017.
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
promptly paid by the Secretary to the Lions Clubs
International Foundation for the purposes of--
(1) furthering its programs for the blind and visually
impaired in the United States and abroad;
(2) investing in adaptive technologies for the disabled;
and
(3) investing in youth and those affected by a major
disaster.
(c) Audits.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall have the right to examine such books, records,
documents, and other data of the Lions Clubs International
Foundation 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. The Secretary may issue guidance to carry
out this subsection.
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