[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17906]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   AWARDING OF CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR

  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Financial Services be discharged from the further 
consideration of the Senate bill (S. 709) to award a congressional gold 
medal to Prime Minister Tony Blair, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:

                                 S. 709

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDING.

       Congress finds that Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United 
     Kingdom has clearly demonstrated, during a very trying and 
     historic time for our 2 countries, that he is a staunch and 
     steadfast ally of the United States of America.

     SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate 
     shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on 
     behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design, to 
     Prime Minister Tony Blair, in recognition of his outstanding 
     and enduring contributions to maintaining the security of all 
     freedom-loving nations.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a 
     gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions 
     to be determined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such 
     regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price 
     sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 
     materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and 
     the cost of the gold medal.

     SEC. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS.

       (a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this 
     Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 
     31, United States Code.
       (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of 
     title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this 
     Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

       (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to 
     be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
     Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of 
     the medals struck pursuant to this Act.
       (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of 
     duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 3 shall be 
     deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Senate bill was ordered to be read a 
third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to 
reconsider was laid on the table.

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