[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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