[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11033]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           SUPPORTING LEGISLATION TO EXPAND THE SILVER MARKET

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for 
legislation to expand the silver market, which is being introduced by 
my good friends, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) and the 
gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter).
  I am a proud cosponsor of this bill, which calls for the extending of 
production of the popular American eagle silver bullion coins. These 
coins were first minted in 1986 from a stockpile of silver held over 
since the Second World War. They became an instantly popular coin, and 
now the stockpile has almost run out. This bill will allow the U.S. 
Mint to buy silver on the open market, to continue the production of 
these patriotic coins. It also encourages the purchase of domestically 
mined silver, providing a great new market for silver mines, especially 
those in Nevada, the Silver State.
  I thank my colleagues, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter) and the 
gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), for their leadership on this bill, 
and encourage all of my colleagues to support this patriotic coin 
program.

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