[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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