[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 118 (Tuesday, July 11, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3187-H3190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS COMMEMORATIVE COIN 
                                  ACT

  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1096) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 
in commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine 
Corps, and to support programs at the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1096

       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 ``250th Anniversary of the 
     United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) November 10, 2025, marks the 250th anniversary of the 
     United States Marine Corps.
       (2) The United States Marine Corps has, over the course of 
     its illustrious 250-year history, fought gallantly in defense 
     of the United States.
       (3) The United States Marine Corps has established itself 
     as a leading military force, always prepared for tomorrow's 
     challenges and to contend with the future character of war.
       (4) The United States Marine Corps continues to exemplify 
     the warrior ethos that has made it a fighting force of 
     international repute.
       (5) All Americans should commemorate the legacy of the 
     United States Marine Corps and recognize the significant 
     contributions the values embodied in the Corps have made in 
     protecting the United States against its enemies.
       (6) In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
     Year 2001, the Congress authorized the construction of the 
     Marine Corps Heritage Center as a multipurpose facility for 
     historical displays for the public viewing, curation and 
     storage of artifacts, research facilities, classrooms, 
     offices and associated activities consistent with the mission 
     of the Marine Corps.
       (7) On November 10, 2006, the Marine Corps Heritage Center 
     opened to the public, with exhibits that share the history of 
     the Marine Corps from 1775 until 1975, and with planned 
     future exhibits on modern day Marine Corps history from the 
     end of the Vietnam War through the wars in Iraq and 
     Afghanistan, to be completed by 2025.
       (8) The United States should pay tribute to the 250th 
     anniversary of the United States Marine Corps by minting and 
     issuing a commemorative coin.
       (9) The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a commemorative 
     coin, which would have no net costs to the taxpayers, would 
     raise valuable funding for the continuation of educational 
     programs of the Marine Corps Heritage Center.

     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 50,000 $5 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 8.359 grams;
       (B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
       (C) contain not less than 90 percent gold.
       (2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 400,000 $1 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 26.73 grams;
       (B) have 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) 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 section 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.--The designs of the coins minted 
     under this Act shall be emblematic of the 250th anniversary 
     of the United States Marine Corps.
       (b) Designation 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 ``2025''; and
       (3) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We 
     Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus 
     Unum''.
       (c) Selection.--The design for the coin minted under this 
     Act shall be--
       (1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the 
     Commission of Fine Arts, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, 
     and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation; 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.--Any 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 
     minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning 
     on January 1, 2025.

[[Page H3188]]

  


     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, 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 issued under this Act 
     shall include a surcharge of--
       (1) a surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin;
       (2) a surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin; and
       (3) a surcharge of $5 per coin for the half-dollar coin.
       (b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f)(1) 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 Marine Corps 
     Heritage Foundation and shall only be used for the purposes 
     of supporting the mission of the Marine Corps Heritage 
     Center.
       (c) Audits.--The Marine Corps Heritage 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 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 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 result in no 
     net cost to the Federal Government; and
       (2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, are 
     disbursed to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1096, a bill that 
will mint a series of coins to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the 
United States Marine Corps.
  I would like to thank my colleagues, the gentleman from Massachusetts 
(Mr. Moulton) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), for their 
work on this bill and for their service.
  The Marines are one of the most storied branches of the United States 
Armed Forces. On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress 
meeting in Philadelphia, passed a resolution stating that ``two 
Battalions of Marines be raised'' for service as landing forces with 
the fleet.
  This resolution established the Continental Marines and forever 
marked the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.
  Now, that may be the official inception of the Marines, but if you 
ask any corpsman, they will tell you that the Marines were formed in a 
bar.
  According to Marine legend, newly commissioned Captains Samuel 
Nicholas and Robert Mullan organized the first Marine Corps muster at 
Tun Tavern, a popular watering hole in Philadelphia.
  The two officers are said to have lured potential marines with mugs 
of beer and a promise of adventures on the high seas. They were looking 
for ``a few good men,'' the ``Few and the Proud.'' Their recruits later 
made up the first five companies who served aboard Continental Navy 
ships.
  Shortly after their beginning, the marines became known for their 
unconventional and fierce combat.
  The first amphibious assault in Marine Corps history came on March 3, 
1776, when a force under Captain Nicholas stormed the beaches of the 
British-held island of New Providence in the Bahamas. These 220 marines 
captured the town and successfully seized several brass canons and 
mortars that were directly shipped to George Washington's Continental 
Army.
  The Marines served in every American war of the 18th and 19th 
centuries, but their role as naval troops was limited until June of 
1918.
  In 1918, under General James Harbord, marines clashed with German 
forces positioned in a French hunting preserve known as Belleau Wood.
  Ignoring calls to withdraw, one captain famously said, ``Retreat? 
Hell, we just got here.'' The marines held their ground against a 
German assault and later spearheaded an Allied counterattack on June 6, 
earning their nickname of ``Devil Dogs.''
  The Marines have a history that is far too expansive for a floor 
speech alone. However, every historical battle the Marines took part in 
left a lasting impact.
  The ``leathernecks'' of Derna, the Navajo Code Talkers of World War 
II, and the Montford Point marines all paved the way for generations of 
marines to come, including the 15 corpsmen in the 118th Congress.
  In August of 2021, marines were among the last U.S. forces on the 
battleground in Afghanistan, going above and beyond the call of duty to 
defend Afghan and American civilians alike who were fleeing the 
Taliban's advance.
  Eleven of the 13 courageous and honorable servicemembers killed in 
the terrorist attack on the Kabul airport were members of the United 
States Marine Corps. These fearless marines lived and embodied their 
motto, ``Semper Fidelis,'' or ``Always Faithful,'' a motto I am sure 
will be the centerpiece of the commemorative coin series.
  I again thank my Congressional colleagues who answered the call to 
service in the Marine Corps, and especially those marines back home in 
Missouri's Second Congressional District. It is your warrior spirit 
that we are honoring here today.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri for reprising 
for us the proud history of the United States Marines, and I join her 
in support of H.R. 1096, the 250th Anniversary of the United States 
Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act, sponsored by Representative Seth 
Moulton of Massachusetts.
  I want to thank Representative Moulton, first, for his service in the 
United States Marines and, second, for offering H.R. 1096. I also want 
to mention Senator Blumenthal for leading the Senate version of this 
bill.
  This important legislation would authorize the Secretary of the 
Treasury to mint a series of commemorative coins honoring the 250th 
anniversary of the United States Marine Corps in 2025.
  These coins will be sold to collectors at a profit. The sale of these 
coins will then support programs for the Marine Corps Heritage 
Foundation, which funds programs for the National Museum of the Marine 
Corps. The museum has been open since 2006, allowing the public to 
honor the Marine Corps and learn about its important work, as well as 
allowing for the storage of artifacts and research. The foundation also 
supports educational programming and cultural events.
  Representative Moulton, as a proud marine, has been a tireless 
advocate in advancing this legislation to commemorate this important 
anniversary.
  The Marine Corps has protected the United States for two-and-a-half 
centuries and deserves the highest level of

[[Page H3189]]

honor, including the minting of these commemorative coins. I am so 
appreciative of their dedication to this important issue and am pleased 
to support this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in that support, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1730

  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), one of the authors of this 
coin legislation for the U.S. Marine Corps and a great friend, 
colleague, and patriot.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I 
also thank Representative Sherman for the articulate history of the 
Marine Corps and also the articulate present of the Marine Corps 
Heritage Foundation and the museum.
  We don't get to where we are going in life without looking at history 
and looking at the commitment of others over time to ensure that those 
times when we had to use American force to preserve our freedoms and 
the freedoms of others that the Marines were and are the force in 
readiness. It is called the 911 force, ready to fight tonight. That is 
who we are. That is our ethos, and we will always remain that.
  This coin bill is just the tip of the iceberg for the next 
generations as they hold that coin to understand what it means for the 
United States to have the Marine Corps, but also what it means to a 
young man or woman to become a marine.
  By the way, marines are not afraid of work. In fact, we kind of pride 
ourselves on the fact that we can get 25 hours out of every 24-hour 
day. That is just the way we are.
  Getting a coin bill done takes a lot of work. Unlike more substantive 
policy bills, which require countless hours of research, meetings, and 
hearings, a coin bill requires two-thirds of all the Members of the 
House to cosponsor the legislation. By the way, two-thirds of the House 
is a significant number of people--290, to be exact.
  To highlight how high of a bar that is, since I arrived in Congress 
in 2017, the House has seen more than 36,000 bills introduced. Of 
those, just 0.72 percent of the bills have received 290-plus 
cosponsors. We are in that top 1 percent, with the number of Members of 
the House who got behind this bill. That is a big deal.
  This was a labor of love on my part and, I am sure, on Mr. Moulton's 
part. I enjoyed the literally hundreds of conversations I had with 
fellow Members here on the floor to hit that 290 mark, to talk about 
the Marine Corps and the huge benefits and proceeds of this bill, which 
costs the taxpayer nothing but will provide revenue to the Marine Corps 
Heritage Foundation.
  In an attempt to educate some of my colleagues on the importance of 
this bill, if they didn't understand the Marine Corps, I said: Just 
remember, this bill is going to commemorate 250 years of tradition of 
the Marine Corps unmarred by progress. They looked and said: Are you 
serious? I said: Well, think about it. I just want your signature.
  The bottom line is, when they stopped laughing, they saw how serious 
we were as marines. We are all serious, but we laugh. Yes, we were 
founded in a bar in Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. Yes, there were some 
recruiters there probably making some outlandish promises, but on 
November 10, every marine everywhere in the world does celebrate that 
day in Tun Tavern.
  The heritage center is located very close to D.C. It is in Triangle, 
Virginia. It exists to preserve and promulgate the history, tradition, 
and culture of the Marine Corps and to educate all Americans and all 
who visit it on the virtues of what the Marine Corps stands for. As my 
colleague said, ``Semper Fidelis'' is our motto. We believe it. We live 
it.
  After we pass this bill and it is signed into law, the next best 
thing happens: The U.S. Mint will work with the Marine Corps Heritage 
Foundation on the coin's design. Once the design has been approved, the 
coin celebrating the illustrious 250 years of history of the Marine 
Corps will be minted at the only facility where the United States 
produces precious metals and commemorative coins.
  There is a little irony here. It will be produced at the West Point 
Mint aboard the campus of the United States Military Academy, the 
preeminent institution for educating our next generation of Army 
leaders.
  By the way, one of my grandsons is in his second year at West Point. 
I told him he gets a free tour of the mint, and I will buy him a coin.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, colleague, and fellow marine, Seth 
Moulton, for starting the ball rolling here and for helping to get this 
bill over the finish line, and Chair McHenry for his kind words in the 
process.
  Madam Speaker, again, I thank all my colleagues here in the House, 
all the folks in the Senate who have made this coin possible because it 
is the right thing to do for the country to show the young men and 
women who will someday decide to become marines that it is worth it. I 
urge all Members to support H.R. 1096.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, as a proud Army mom whose son is a 
graduate of West Point, I insist that the lieutenant general take my 
son, Raymond, the good captain, to the mint also.

  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton), the sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. MOULTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 1096, a 
bill to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 
commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.
  This is a particular honor for me as a Marine Corps veteran myself. 
Serving as an infantry officer in the Iraq war, I was proud to lead 
some of the best Americans I have ever met--brave, selfless, honorable 
heroes who could have let others go in their place.
  Indeed, marines are on watch tonight, standing on the ramparts of 
freedom around the globe so that we all can sleep softly in our beds at 
home.
  The first time I remember meeting a marine was on my under-10 soccer 
field in my hometown of Marblehead, Massachusetts. Marblehead has the 
distinction of being the birthplace of Marine Corps Aviation because it 
was back in 1912 that Lieutenant Alfred Cunningham took his first solo 
flight out of Marblehead and became the first marine aviator.
  A marine landed a Cobra helicopter on our soccer field, and I had 
never seen something like this before. I remember walking around this 
remarkable machine in awe. Then, I came up to the Marine Corps major 
who was the pilot, and I looked up at him and said: Wow, you are lucky 
to get to fly this every day. That Marine Corps major looked down at me 
and said: I am not lucky, kid. I am good.
  Indeed, marines know that nobody cares if you are lucky or not. 
Marines make their own luck and have throughout history, being the 
first to fight in every clime and place, in battles that defined our 
Nation for two-and-a-half centuries: Belleau Wood in World War I, where 
the marines earned our reputation as Devil Dogs; the beaches of 
Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima in World War II; the Battle of Chosin 
Reservoir in the Korean war; the grueling jungles of Vietnam; and, of 
course, the Gulf wars, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring 
Freedom.
  I will never forget the bravery of the young marines that I witnessed 
at Abbey Gate during the final days of the Afghanistan withdrawal. 
After 13 American heroes lost their lives, what happened next is the 
definition of what it means to be a marine: Another platoon of marines 
went right back out to continue the mission, saving hundreds more of 
our Afghan allies.
  Yet, the thing about the Marines is that we don't dwell on our 
history. We charge forward. Under the leadership of now-retired General 
Berger, the 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps, the force is 
undertaking the most aggressive modernization plan of any service in 
the last 50 years.
  Force Design 2030 addresses everything from personnel to warships. It 
shifts resources from armor, artillery, and manned aircraft to invest 
in longer range missiles and unmanned aerial systems, better sensors 
and surveillance on the battlefield, and developing and retaining new 
cyber forces.
  If we are to deter a war with China--and we must deter a war with 
China--

[[Page H3190]]

this type of forward-thinking is essential across all the services, and 
once again, the Marine Corps is setting the example and leading the 
way.
  The Marine Corps is, therefore, at an inflection point, so it is 
particularly fitting that we have this opportunity to honor the 
indomitable spirit of the corps while also looking forward to its 
future.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my esteemed colleagues to support this 
bill and to recognize the valor, bravery, and sacrifice of ``The Few, 
The Proud, The Marines.''
  Madam Speaker, I conclude with the final verse of ``The Marines' 
Hymn''

     If the Army and the Navy
     Ever look on Heaven's scenes;
     They will find the streets are guarded
     By United States Marines.

  Semper Fidelis.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, and I 
am prepared to close.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  H.R. 1096 will commemorate the important 250th anniversary of the 
creation of the United States Marine Corps.
  I am pleased that my colleague, Representative Moulton, chose to 
champion this issue so that we can all honor the work of the Marine 
Corps in protecting our freedom and our liberty over the past two-and-
a-half centuries.
  Madam Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank my congressional colleagues for 
their work on this bill, Captain Seth Moulton and General Jack Bergman. 
Their steadfast commitment and determination to commemorate the Marine 
Corps truly shows once a marine, always a marine.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. Jackson Lee. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1096, a 
bill authorizing the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins in honor 
of the Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary in 2025 and to support programs 
at the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
  The 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Commemorative 
Coin Act will allow Americans to continue their substantial 
contributions toward the preservation of the Marine Corps history 
without any costs to the taxpayers.
  November 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the Navy Marine Corps' 
founding at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, on November 10, 1775.
  Since its founding, the Marine Corps has gone on to safeguard our 
freedom in every climate and region, and in almost every war our nation 
has fought.
  As this House may fervently remember, the coin minted in 2005 for the 
230th anniversary of the Marine Corps turned out to be one of the most 
popular in U.S. Mint history.
  The revenue from that coin supported the funding of the construction 
of the National Museum of the Marine Corps--an award-winning cultural 
institution which continues to welcome visitors from around the world.
  No reason to doubt that a coin marking the 250th anniversary of the 
Marine Corps will be just as popular.
  Revenue from the 250th Anniversary coin will support Marine Corps 
Heritage Foundation's historical and cultural programs that preserve, 
showcase, and educate the public on Marine Corps, history, traditions, 
and culture and support to the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
  H.R. 1096 will also help to take the history, tradition, culture, and 
values of the Marine Corps beyond the museum's walls to Americans 
across the country.
  Today's Marine Corps is an integrated air-ground team, capable of 
rapidly deploying to any conflict or crisis location in the world.
  The men and women of the Marine Corps, Always Faithful, remain our 
nation's finest examples of Honor, Courage, and Commitment for nearly 
250 years.
  This legislation is an opportunity for Congress to help Americans 
honor the Marine Corps legacy of bravery and selfless service on a 
national scale, in a way that won't cost taxpayers a single cent.
  I am honored to join with a bipartisan group of Marine veterans, and 
other veterans of the armed forces serving in Congress, in supporting a 
legislation that directs the Treasury Department to issue more than one 
million coins in 2025 for the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of 
the United States Marine Corps.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1096.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  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.

                          ____________________