[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 153 (Monday, September 25, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7450-H7452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT

  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1235) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in 
recognition of the 60th Anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball 
Hall of Fame, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1235

       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 ``Naismith Memorial Basketball 
     Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) On December 21, 1891, a young physical education 
     instructor named James Naismith, introduced the game of 
     ``basket ball'' to his physical education class, in 
     Springfield, Massachusetts.
       (2) In 1959, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 
     was founded and dedicated to the game's creator Dr. James 
     Naismith, in Springfield, MA, ``The Birthplace of 
     Basketball'' and became the first and only museum to honor 
     the game at all levels around the world.
       (3) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors 
     players who have achieved greatness, exemplary coaches, 
     referees and other major contributors to the sport of 
     basketball. The Inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 1959 had 
     seventeen honorees who were inducted, including Dr. James 
     Naismith, George Mikan, Forrest C. Allen, Angelo Luisetti, 
     Original Celtics and First Team.
       (4) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is 
     recognized throughout the world as the premier institution 
     entrusted with recording and disseminating the history of the 
     game of basketball and recognizing and honoring the 
     achievements of its greatest players, coaches, and 
     contributors.
       (5) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame provides 
     an entertaining, enriching experience and is known for its 
     educational outreach programs and celebrates and promotes 
     positive core values demonstrated by basketball's hallowed 
     heroes and its founder.
       (6) Basketball is one of America's national treasures; with 
     its fast pace which reflects the freedom of expression and 
     the modern experience of life in the 21st century.
       (7) Since its opening in 1959, the Naismith Memorial 
     Basketball Hall of Fame is home to the largest collection of 
     basketball memorabilia in the world, including more than 
     30,000 three-dimensional objects, 800,000 photographs, and 
     1.5 million documents.
       (8) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame welcomes 
     more than 6,000,000 visitors interested in discovering the 
     rich history of the game through its stories, its 
     personalities, and its most celebrated moments.
       (9) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame reaches 
     over seven million Americans through its educational 
     programs, events, exhibits, social media, and its interactive 
     website.
       (10) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's 
     customized educational programs use basketball to teach young 
     students around the world the important lessons on a variety 
     of topics including: financial literacy, mathematics, civil 
     rights, leadership of character, women's and men's history, 
     and geography.
       (11) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will 
     lead the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Basketball 
     and will partner with a select group of constituents 
     including the National Basketball Association, the National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association, and USA Basketball in 
     commemorating the game throughout the 2019-2020 basketball 
     season.

     SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) Denominations.--In recognition and celebration of the 
     Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 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 50,000 $5 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 8.359 grams;
       (B) be struck on a planchet having a diameter of 0.850 
     inches; and
       (C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
       (2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 400,000 $1 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 26.73 grams;
       (B) be struck on a planchet having a diameter of 1.500 
     inches; and
       (C) contain not less than 90 percent silver.
       (3) Half-dollar clad coins.--Not more than 750,000 half-
     dollar coins which shall--
       (A) weigh 11.34 grams;
       (B) be struck on a planchet having 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.
       (d) Dome Shape.--The coins minted under this Act shall be 
     in the shape of a dome.

     SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.

       (a) In General.--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.
       (b) Designations and Inscriptions.--On each coin minted 
     under this Act there shall be--
       (1) a designation of the value of the coin;
       (2) an inscription of the year ``2020''; and
       (3) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We 
     Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus 
     Unum''.
       (c) Selection and Approval Process for Obverse Design.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall hold a competition to 
     determine the design of the common obverse of the coins 
     minted under this Act, with such design being emblematic of 
     the game of basketball.
       (2) Selection and approval.--Proposals for the design of 
     coins minted under this Act may be submitted in accordance 
     with the design selection and approval process developed by 
     the Secretary in the sole discretion of the Secretary.
       (3) Proposals.--As part of the competition described in 
     this subsection, the Secretary may accept proposals from 
     artists, engravers and other employees of the United States 
     Mint, other Government employees, and members of the general 
     public.
       (4) Compensation.--The Secretary shall determine 
     compensation for the winning design under this subsection, 
     which shall be not less than $5,000. The Secretary shall take 
     into account this compensation amount when determining the 
     sale price described in section 6(a).
       (d) Reverse Design.--The design on the common reverse of 
     the coins minted under this Act shall depict a basketball.

     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 1-year period beginning 
     on January 1, 2020.

     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 
     such coins; and
       (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including 
     labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, winning design 
     compensation, 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.

[[Page H7451]]

       (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.--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 Naismith Memorial 
     Basketball Hall of Fame to fund an endowment that will enable 
     increased operations and educational programming of the 
     Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
       (c) Audits.--The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 
     shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 
     5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard to 
     the amounts received 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 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 gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Barr) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to include extraneous material on this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith 
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act.
  Basketball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, by Dr. James 
Naismith in 1891.
  I have the privilege of representing the Sixth Congressional District 
of Kentucky, home of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. We 
affectionately know the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team 
as the greatest tradition in the history of college basketball; the 
winningest program in college basketball; eight national championships; 
and, of course, the greatest fans in the history of college basketball. 
We call them the Big Blue Nation.
  While it may be to the surprise of many that a Kansas Jayhawk and not 
a Kentucky Wildcat invented the game, there is no doubt that this sport 
has helped many Americans learn the value of teamwork, sacrifice, and 
hard work.
  Today, by some estimates, basketball is considered the fastest-
growing sport in the world. With current megastars like LeBron James, 
Steph Curry, Candace Parker, and Brittney Griner, we don't have to 
wonder why we are in the Golden Age of basketball again.
  And while the sport is wildly successful today with rising stars like 
former Kentucky players John Wall, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, and 
Karl-Anthony Towns, the future is in good hands.
  I could talk all day about the upcoming NCAA basketball season, but 
instead I want to turn my attention to the Naismith Memorial Basketball 
Hall of Fame.
  Established in 1959, the Basketball Hall of Fame has honored players, 
coaches, referees, and other basketball icons for their contributions 
to this great American sport. From Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Charles 
Barkley, Bill Russell, Jerry West, Patrick Ewing, Oscar Robertson, Pete 
Maravich, Bill Walton, Yao Ming, Shaq, TMac, A.I., the Millers, 
Swoopes, Coach Summitt, Coach Calipari, Magic Johnson, Dr. J., Wilt 
Chamberlain, Coach Adolph Rupp, Coach John Wooden, to Coach Dean Smith, 
the Basketball Hall of Fame allows fans, young and old, to reminisce or 
even discover the rich history of the game they love.
  To the basketball lore of Chamberlain scoring 100 points in a single 
game, to the athletic heroics of Michael Jordan, to Lisa Leslie's dunk, 
to the UConn Ladies' streak of 111 wins, to Curry and company 
revolutionizing the game with a constant barrage of 3-pointers, the 
Basketball Hall of Fame is helping fans relive the greatest moments in 
basketball history while teaching important life lessons to youngsters 
through educational programs.
  To honor 60 years of excellence in 2020 by the Naismith Memorial 
Basketball Hall of Fame, it is with great pleasure that I am on the 
House floor today encouraging my colleagues to support the Naismith 
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act. This 
legislation requires the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins for 
fans to collect and enjoy in celebration of this momentous occasion, in 
denominations of $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad 
coins. Importantly, these coins would be produced at no cost to the 
taxpayer, and surcharges on the sale of these coins would go to support 
programs at the Hall of Fame after raising matching funds from the 
private sector.
  I especially want to thank Congressman Richard Neal from 
Massachusetts, home to the Springfield location of the Hall of Fame; 
and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy from California, for their hard work 
on this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
legislation honoring this great American sport.
  Go Cats, go Big Blue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith Memorial 
Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act.
  First, Mr. Speaker, I would like to read into the Record a letter 
written by president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall 
of Fame, John L. Doleva, in support of what we are doing here today. He 
says:

       To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial 
     Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, the House of Representatives 
     has introduced a bill to mint an exclusive commemorative 
     coin. The bill is sponsored by Congressman Richard E. Neal 
     and Thomas Rooney. Senators Elizabeth Warren and John McCain 
     support the venture by sponsoring the same legislation in the 
     Senate, S. 2598. I am respectfully requesting your support 
     and cosponsorship of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of 
     Fame Commemorative Coin Act.
       This endeavor and legislation is of deep interest to me 
     because of my professional career--primarily the last 16 
     years--has been fully embedded in promoting basketball 
     through my passion for the game as president and CEO of the 
     Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
       It has been an honor to help the Naismith Memorial 
     Basketball Hall of Fame provide a home for the greatness of 
     the game's past, its exciting present day and brilliant 
     future that continues to touch all parts of the globe. The 
     game's immortals, through their stories and achievements, are 
     contained here through their legacy as players, coaches, 
     teams, officials, and legendary contributors to the game. 
     More than 6 million visitors have educated themselves through 
     the enjoyment of exploring the rich history.
       My passion for this sport is not solely rooted in the game 
     itself or its traditions, but, rather, my love for basketball 
     centers on its ability to develop character. One example is 
     the outreach of the Hall of Fame's MVP's of Character 
     program, an initiative that has involved thousands of youth 
     in the cities across the country, like New York City; 
     Washington, D.C.; and Lawrence, Kansas. The program centers 
     on the belief that ``teaching youth about good character--
     both on and off the court--helps them understand the impact 
     of it and their lives . . . character traits like honesty, 
     respect, responsibility, integrity and cooperation create a 
     foundation for success.''
       Support of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 
     Commemorative Coin bill has no taxpayer cost, is your 
     opportunity to help grow the game of basketball and the 
     educational and outreach programs provided by the Basketball 
     Hall of Fame.

  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1235, the Naismith 
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act, a bill to 
require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a commemorative 
coin in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Naismith

[[Page H7452]]

Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in the birthplace of 
basketball.

                              {time}  1615

  Located in the ``birthplace of basketball,'' the Naismith Memorial 
Basketball Hall of Fame is entrusted with recording and disseminating 
the history of this great American pastime and recognizing and honoring 
the achievements of the sport's greatest players, coaches, and 
contributors.
  With the ability to reach millions of Americans through its 
educational programs, events, exhibits, and online presence, the 
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame plays an important role in 
celebrating and promoting the positive core values demonstrated by 
basketball's heroes, who have inspired Americans from all quarters.
  Passage of the legislation also provides an opportunity to highlight 
the creative ways in which the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of 
Fame has leveraged America's love of the game and to develop 
basketball-related educational programs that teach our youth about a 
wide range of topics, such as financial literacy, math, civil rights, 
leadership of character, women's and men's history, and geography.
  In addition to raising awareness of its important work and honoring 
its 60th anniversary, surcharges associated with the sale of the unique 
basketball-themed coins provided for in the bill will also enable the 
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to increase its operations 
and educational programming, all at no cost to taxpayers.
  Mr. Speaker, basketball is one of the games that unites all Americans 
across party lines, across racial lines, and across geographic lines. 
That is who we are. The bipartisan legislation before us already has 
the support of more than two-thirds of the House, and I hope all 
Members will join me in supporting this bill to honor and support the 
important work of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Speaker, I will read into the Record a letter from Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar to the House of Representatives:
  ``After 20 years as a player in the National Basketball Association 
with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, which included 
winning six NBA Championships as well as an equal number of Most 
Valuable Player awards, I had the honor to be inducted in 1995 into the 
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
  ``To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial 
Basketball Hall of Fame, Congressmen Richard E. Neal, Andy Barr, and 
Mike Kelly have sponsored legislation to authorize the U.S. Mint to 
issue limited-edition commemorative coins for sale to the public in 
2019. Proceeds from the coins' sale will go to help continue the 
impressive archival and educational efforts of the Basketball Hall of 
Fame for years to come, all at no cost to the taxpayer.
  ``The Basketball Hall of Fame preserves the history of the game and 
celebrates the very best of the sport at all the levels it is played. 
The museum in Springfield, Massachusetts, honors women and men players 
who have achieved greatness, exemplary coaches, referees, and other 
major contributors to the sport. It attracts 6 million visitors a year, 
who see hundreds of thousands of historic artifacts and memorabilia 
spanning the past 125 years of basketball.
  ``As a Hall of Famer, I am very passionate about the work they do to 
not only preserve and honor, but also grow the game of basketball. It 
is because of this I am respectfully requesting your support and 
cosponsorship of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 
Commemorative Coin Act, H.R. 1235.''
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Texas and, as I 
said before, the gentleman from Massachusetts for their advocacy of 
this bipartisan piece of legislation, again, honoring a great American 
tradition: the great sport of basketball.
  Whether at the high school level, the collegiate level, or the 
professional level, it is true--the gentleman from Texas is absolutely 
right--this great sport unites our country. There is friendly 
competition--sometimes vigorous competition--in the rivalries that we 
see, whether it is Kentucky playing Louisville or North Carolina versus 
Duke, or if it is the Lakers and the Celtics from the 1980s or the 
Pistons and the Bulls in those great games in the 1990s.
  There are a lot of people behind this legislation that deserve thanks 
and appreciation. I want to thank, in particular, Jim Host, who is 
credited for coining the phrase the ``Final Four,'' and Coach Calipari 
of the University of Kentucky, who has been a tireless champion of this 
effort. Without his leadership, I don't think this would have happened.
  I want to also thank all of the members of the Hall of Fame who have 
come to Washington to talk to us. Jay Bilas came down here in the Ways 
and Means Committee and talked about the importance of this, and many 
of the other former players. I have to thank the players because the 
Hall of Fame recognizes their amazing skills and their talents, and if 
it weren't for their advocacy, this wouldn't have happened as well.
  Finally and probably most important of all, the Hall of Fame 
Commemorative Coin Act that we are enacting here today is in honor of 
the fans who make this great sport possible, the American people who 
have fallen in love with this great American sport. We have to thank 
the fans for creating such excitement. Whether it is the McDonald's All 
American Basketball Game at the high school level, or if it is the 
Final Four in the national title in the NCAA in both men's and women's 
basketball, or if it is Game 7 of the NBA Finals, there is nothing more 
electric than this sport at crunch time.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to come together and support the Naismith 
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 1235, 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.

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