[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 9, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S4739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHRISTA McAULIFFE COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT OF 2019
Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged from
further consideration of S. 239 and that the Senate proceed to its
immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 239) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to
mint coins in recognition of Christa McAuliffe.
There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. THUNE. I further ask unanimous consent that the Shaheen
amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 907) was agreed to, as follows:
(Purpose: To improve the bill)
On page 4, line 13, strike ``2020'' and insert ``2021''.
On page 5, line 6, strike ``2020'' and insert ``2021''.
On page 5, line 7, strike ``2020'' and insert ``2021''.
Mr. THUNE. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a
third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read
the third time.
Mr. THUNE. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
If not, the bill having been read the third time, the question is,
Shall the bill pass?
The bill, as amended, was passed, as follows:
S. 239
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 ``Christa McAuliffe
Commemorative Coin Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Christa McAuliffe was a social studies teacher at
Concord High School in Concord, New Hampshire.
(2) In 1985, Christa McAuliffe was selected to be the first
participant in the Teacher in Space program of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(3) On January 28, 1986, Christa McAuliffe and 6 other
astronauts were tragically killed during the Space Shuttle
Challenger disaster.
(4) In 1989, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology (in this Act referred to as ``FIRST'') was founded
to inspire young people's interest and participation in
science and technology.
(5) The mission of FIRST ``is to inspire young people to be
science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting
mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and
technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster
well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence,
communication, and leadership''.
(6) 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of
FIRST.
(7) Each year, more than 1,000,000 children from the United
States and more than 86 countries participate in a FIRST
program.
(8) Studies have shown that alumni of FIRST programs are
more likely to become scientists and engineers and to
volunteer in their communities.
(9) FIRST is dedicated to carrying on the mission of
Christa McAuliffe of inspiring students and creating a new
generation of dreamers and innovators.
(10) 2016 marked the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle
Challenger tragedy.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--In commemoration of Christa McAuliffe,
the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter referred to in this
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more than
350,000 $1 coins, each of which shall--
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain at least 90 percent silver.
(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 bear--
(A) an image of and the name of Christa McAuliffe on the
obverse side; and
(B) a design on the reverse side that depicts the legacy of
Christa McAuliffe as a teacher.
(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 ``2021''; 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
family of Christa McAuliffe, FIRST, 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 1 facility of the United States
Mint may be used to 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 period beginning on January 1,
2021, and ending on December 31, 2021.
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 under section 7(a) with respect
to the coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins,
including--
(A) labor;
(B) materials;
(C) dies;
(D) use of machinery;
(E) overhead expenses;
(F) marketing; and
(G) 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
the 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, and section 8(2), all surcharges received
by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act
shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the FIRST robotics
program for the purpose of engaging and inspiring young
people, through mentor-based programs, to become leaders in
the fields of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics.
(c) Audits.--The FIRST robotics program shall be subject to
the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31,
United States Code, with respect to the amounts received
under subsection (b).
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 result in no
net cost to the Federal Government; and
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, are
disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7(b) 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.
Mr. THUNE. I further ask unanimous consent that the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no
intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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