[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H3254-H3257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 627) to provide for the issuance of coins to commemorate the
100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Park Service,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 627
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 ``National Park Service 100th
Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) In 1916, Congress established the National Park Service
as a bureau within the Department of the Interior to
administer America's great national parks and monuments as a
unified National Park System.
(2) From 1916 to the present, the National Park System has
grown from 37 park units with 6,000,000 acres of land in the
western United States to more than 395 units with 84,000,000
acres of land in nearly all States and territories.
(3) The responsibilities of the National Park Service have
grown to include--
(A) managing national historic trails and national scenic
trails;
(B) administering wild and scenic rivers;
(C) recognizing America's most significant historic
resources through the National Register of Historic Places
and the National Historic Landmark program;
(D) providing historic preservation grants; and
(E) assisting communities in meeting their preservation,
conservation, and recreation needs.
(4) The National Park Service Organic Act of 1916, which
established the National Park Service, remains the preeminent
law guiding the management of parks and articulating the
Service's core mission, ``to conserve the scenery and the
natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to
provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by
such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of
future generations''.
(5) The 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in
2016 will be an occasion to celebrate a century of American
vision and achievement in identifying and preserving our
Nation's special places for the benefit of everyone and the
culmination of 100 years of accomplishment by the National
Park Service's employees, partners, and volunteers. It will
also mark the beginning of the organization's second century
of service to the American people as environmental leaders
and vigilant stewards of the Nation's treasured places and
stories.
(6) Coins commemorating the 100th anniversary of the
National Park Service will bring national and international
attention to the National Park System and to the legacy
Congress left in 1916 when it established a Federal agency to
ensure the protection of our Nation's most treasured natural
and cultural resources for all time.
(7) The proceeds from a surcharge on the sale of
commemorative coins will assist the financing of the needs of
the National Park Service's parks and programs, helping to
ensure that our Nation's great natural and cultural resources
will endure for generations to come.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'')
shall mint and issue the following coins:
(1) $5 gold coins.--Not more than 100,000 $5 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
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(2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
(3) Half dollar clad coins.--Not more than 750,000 half
dollar coins, which shall--
(A) weigh 11.34 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
(C) be minted to the specifications for half dollar coins,
contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United States Code.
(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 100th anniversary of the
National Park Service.
(2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this Act there shall be--
(A) a designation of the face value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ``2016''; 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--
(A) the National Park Service;
(B) the National Park Foundation; and
(C) 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) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins
minted under this Act only during the period beginning on
January 1, 2016, and ending on December 31, 2016.
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(a) with respect to
the 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 minted under this Act
shall include a surcharge as follows:
(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.
(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
(3) A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half dollar coin.
(b) Distribution.--
(1) In general.--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 to the National Park
Foundation for projects and programs that help preserve and
protect resources under the stewardship of the National Park
Service and promote public enjoyment and appreciation of
those resources.
(2) Prohibition on land acquisition.--Surcharges paid to
the National Park Foundation pursuant to paragraph (1) may
not be used for land acquisition.
(c) Audits.--The National Park 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 Foundation under subsection (b).
(d) Limitations.--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. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary
to ensure that--
(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act will not
result in any net cost to the United States Government; and
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, shall be
disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7 until the
total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins
authorized by this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use
of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping) is
recovered by the United States Treasury, consistent with
sections 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 9. BUDGET COMPLIANCE.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the House of
Representatives, provided that such statement has been
submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Garrett) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Murphy) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, again, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks, and also to submit extraneous materials for the Record on this
bill, H.R. 627, as amended, and currently under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 627, the National Park
Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, introduced by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen).
Mr. Speaker, this legislation seeks to authorize the minting and sale
in 2016 of gold, silver, and clad commemorative coins marking the
centenary of the forming of the National Park Service, the great
stewards of American history and the American landscape so important to
all of us.
The idea of federally recognizing and preserving certain sites began
in the late 19th century with the official establishment of a select
group of national parks, including Yellowstone, Sequoia National Park
in California, and Yosemite as well.
When Theodore Roosevelt became President in 1901, he continued this
effort, speaking out on the importance of preserving the habitats of
American wildlife and signing the Antiquities Act of 1906. That act
allowed the President to ``declare by public proclamation historic
landmarks, historic and pre-historic structures, and other objects of
historic or scientific interest.''
About a decade later, in 1916, the National Park Service was created
to place all of the sites under the care of a single independent
agency.
Fast forward to today, now, the Park Service manages nearly 400 sites
totaling 84 million acres. These parks cover all corners of our Nation,
and almost every American State and territory is home to at least one.
People from around the globe now are attracted to our national sites
because of both their beauty and also their grandeur. Every year, our
parks hosts--note this--280 million visitors.
The legislation before us today has 307 cosponsors, and a companion
Senate bill has 73.
The coins will be minted and sold at no cost to the taxpayer. No
proceeds from the sale may be used to acquire new lands.
So, Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, honoring a great part of the
Federal Government that maintains some of the most spectacular parts of
American landscape and history, and I ask for its immediate passage.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, this bill would authorize the U.S. Mint to produce gold,
silver, and clad coins for resale in 2016. Proceeds from the sale of
these coins will be used to help protect our national parks, so that
our country's great natural and cultural resources will endure for
generations to come. This bill comes at no cost to taxpayers.
National parks are not only crucial to preserve our natural,
historic, and cultural treasures, but they are also economic engines to
job creators. They generate tens of billions in revenue and support
hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide.
This bill will help maintain and promote many beautiful and important
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parks in our country, such as Everglades National Park, which is
located near the district I am proud to represent.
The Everglades region is a large, interconnected ecosystem that is
globally unique because of the hundreds of species and plants and
animals that live there, such as the Florida panther and the West
Indian manatee.
This rare ecosystem also faces exceptional problems due to rapid
development and outdated infrastructure in the area.
You may be wondering why someone from Florida's Treasure Coast is
concerned with the Everglades. As my colleagues have surely heard me
discuss, there are serious problems facing Florida's many waterways.
When there is heavy rainfall--also known as summer in Florida--the
Army Corps, following the Lake Okeechobee release schedule, releases
water from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River in the east and the
Caloosahatchee River in the west. These freshwater releases are heavy
in nitrogen, phosphorus, and bacteria that then plague our brackish
waterways.
Last summer, the St. Lucie River contained such high levels of
bacteria that local officials posted public health warnings up and down
the shore, and many residents reported infections resulting from their
interaction with the water. Toxic algae blooms were also found
throughout the waterways.
This pollution not only forces people to avoid contact with the
water, which is frequently the center of their livelihood, but also is
an extreme threat to the most biodiverse estuary in the country.
Just like the broader Everglades system, several species in the
Indian River Lagoon are already being listed as threatened or
endangered, and these releases jeopardize these species even further.
My constituents stress to me that the health of our environment
cannot be separated from the health of our economy. In Florida's 18th
District, the health of the Everglades and our waterways is critical to
economic strength.
I will continue to advocate to even the most conservative of my
colleagues that the economic impact of Everglades restoration projects
provides a 4 to 1 return on investment in both short-term and long-term
economic benefits.
So important are these restoration efforts, the Florida delegation
continues to come together in a bipartisan manner in support of
protecting our environment and the economic role it plays in our great
State of Florida.
All members of our delegation understand that, for the entire system
to benefit and for the Federal Government to work most efficiently, we
must aggressively continue to push to complete Everglades restoration
projects that we have already started.
It is clear that water quality and management decisions that impact
one area of the Everglades system have residual impacts throughout the
entire water system of central and south Florida and the Treasure
Coast.
So while people who live along the Florida Bay may not immediately
see the benefits of the C-44 Indian River Lagoon project in my
district--and the same for residents of the Treasure Coast with the C-
111 spreader canal--you cannot look at one piece of the system in a
vacuum. It is intensively interconnected.
That is why I have been so passionate on Everglades restoration
issues, not only in my district, but throughout the State and the
watershed and why today I stand in support of this bill that will help
the Park Service continue its important work of preserving this and
other critical habitats.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, at this time, we are joined by the original
sponsor of the legislation. I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen).
Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
want to thank him for his leadership, as well as Chairman Hensarling
and all the staff on the Financial Services Committee for bringing this
legislation forward.
I also want to mention my partner in this effort, Congresswoman
Kaptur, for her efforts in promoting this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, President Teddy Roosevelt said:
There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the
Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the
canyon of the Colorado, the canyon of the Yellowstone, the
three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are
preserved for their children and their children's children
forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred.
His leadership and tireless advocacy for conservation led to the
creation of the National Park Service and System back in 1916.
Today, the National Park Service comprises over 401 different areas,
covering more than 84 million acres across America, including
territories like in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin
Islands. These areas include some of our most cherished monuments,
battlefields, lakeshores, recreation areas, pristine rivers, and
pristine falls.
Minnesota is host to five national parks who are visited by more than
650,000 visitors each and every year, contributing $34 million to our
local economy. They span the entirety of the State, from the beautiful
Voyageurs National Park up on the Canadian border, to the Mississippi
River and Recreation Area, running through the heart of the Twin
Cities.
Americans from all States, though, and all backgrounds have enjoyed
the opportunity to visit these sites. In 2016, in just a few years, we
will all come together to help celebrate the centennial, the 100th
birthday of the National Park Service.
To commemorate this occasion, we have got bipartisan, bicameral
legislation that will allow the Department of the Treasury to authorize
the minting of a series of commemorative coins: a $5 coin, a silver
dollar, and a clad half dollar. There is no cost to the taxpayer.
Over 300 authors in the House have signed on to the bill, bipartisan
support in the Senate; and all the proceeds from this commemorative
coin program go to the National Park Foundation, which is responsible
for preserving and protecting all these resources under the stewardship
of the National Park Service, and then promoting the public enjoyment
and recreation and appreciation for those resources.
{time} 1245
So more than 278 million people enjoy national parks each and every
year, including my wife and my family, my four daughters. We frequently
have the opportunity to visit and vacation in national parks. One of
the very first summer jobs that I had was working at Yellowstone, some
of the best memories of my life. My brother was a park ranger for many
years at Glacier National Park.
So here we have a bill that commemorates not only the anniversary of
our Park Service but also makes sure we have got dedicated funds that
will have no taxpayer cost, no taxpayer impact in promoting these
resources.
Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that our national parks are truly one
of our greatest natural resources and crowned jewels, and they deserve
being celebrated and preserved so that future generations can enjoy
that beauty and history in our country. So passing this bill is just
one important step to help us honor our country's very important
heritage.
Mr. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my
colleagues and the gentleman from Minnesota and the gentleman from New
Jersey for the spirited debate on the importance of America's national
parks, including Florida's incomparable ``river of grass,'' the
Everglades.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. GARRETT. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 627, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
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The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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