[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13] [House] [Pages 17160-17163] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]ABRAHAM LINCOLN COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2808) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, as amended. The Clerk read as follows: H.R. 2808 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 ``Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds as follows: (1) Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, was one of the Nation's greatest leaders, demonstrating true courage during the Civil War, one of the greatest crises in the Nation's history. (2) Born of humble roots in present-day LaRue County, Kentucky, on February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln rose to the Presidency through a combination of honesty, integrity, intelligence, and commitment to the United States. (3) With the belief that all men were created equal, Abraham Lincoln led the effort to free all slaves in the United States. (4) Abraham Lincoln had a generous heart, with malice toward none and with charity for all. (5) Abraham Lincoln gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country, dying from an assassin's bullet on April 15, 1865. (6) The year 2009 will be the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. (7) The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission has been charged by Congress with planning the celebration of Lincoln's bicentennial. (8) The proceeds from a commemorative coin will help fund the celebration and the continued study of the life of Lincoln. SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. (a) $1 Silver Coins.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which shall-- (1) weigh 26.73 grams; (2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and (3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. (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.--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 be emblematic of the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. (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 ``2009''; 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 Commission of Fine Arts and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission; 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 minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2009. 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-- [[Page 17161]] (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 $10 per coin. (b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f)(1), 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 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to further the work of the Commission. (c) Audits.--The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code. (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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Bean) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois. General Leave Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous materials thereon. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Illinois? There was no objection. Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to urge passage of H.R. 2808, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act. I commend my friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), for its introduction. Mr. Speaker, in 2009, our great Nation will celebrate the bicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln's birth. To commemorate this event, the bill we are considering today authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint as many as half a million silver $1 coins for sale in 2009. Surcharges on the sales will be used to fund the work of Abraham Lincoln's Bicentennial Commission, which is planning various special events to commemorate the occasion of Lincoln's birth. I fully support this program, Mr. Speaker, because there is so much to learn about this great man. Certainly, he was a tremendous President, perhaps the only man who could have held this country together during the difficult period of his presidency. Certainly, he freed the slaves, and certainly he left us some of our clearest statements of what the United States stands for both as a Nation and as a symbol. But so much more has been said and written about him, so much that can shed light on different aspects of this man, from his persona to his presidency. As a matter of fact, thanks to the hard work and efforts of my colleague Mr. LaHood and others, an Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum just opened in Springfield, Illinois, in April of 2005 to help Americans rediscover one of their greatest Presidents. There is no disputing that Lincoln was a great man. One of my favorite stories of his presidency could not happen today. It involves an event on which some claim the entire Civil War turned. Early on in the war, an inventor presented himself at the White House with a new weapon and was led in to see the President. Lincoln, who had been quite a hunter in his youth, is said to have taken this new weapon out to the south lawn to try it out on a pile of firewood. The President immediately saw the great potential in its accuracy and speed, and his decision to arm the Union troops with a new repeater rifle many claim is one of the reasons the Union side won the war. Mr. Speaker, the point of this story is not to talk about firearms but to talk about a remarkable man who literally took charge of a deeply divided Nation when he became President. His leadership through such a tumultuous time in our Nation's history certainly qualifies him as one of the greatest individuals to represent the State of Illinois. It is that great President who will be honored by the minting of these coins and whose memory will be brought to life to a whole new generation in just 3 short years. For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I urge immediate adoption of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BEAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I thank the gentlewoman from Illinois, Congresswoman Biggert. As a member of the Illinois delegation, I am proud to join my distinguished colleague today in support of H.R. 2808, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act. This bill celebrates the many contributions of our 16th President and one of Illinois' favorite sons, Abraham Lincoln, by directing the Treasury to mint a coin in commemoration of the bicentennial of his birth. Born to humble roots in 1809, Abraham Lincoln and his family moved to Illinois in 1830. Lincoln would go on to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives, represent Illinois in the 30th Congress and run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. In addition, he practiced law and later served as a judge. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected President in the midst of a Nation dissolving from within. By the time of his first inaugural address in March, seven States had already seceded from the Union. Yet, committed to doing everything in his power to prevent civil war, President Lincoln used his inaugural address to make a stirring appeal for the preservation of the Union, ending his address by saying: ``I am loathe to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.'' Nevertheless, in April, Fort Sumter was attacked, and the war began. For 4 years, Lincoln was consumed with winning the war and salvaging the Union, and as the war finally neared its end in March 1865, Lincoln focused on healing and reuniting a ravaged Nation. Instead of rebuking or punishing the Confederacy, Lincoln chose instead to offer a united vision of a healed country. During his last inaugural address, he said: ``With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the Nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.'' {time} 1430 Unfortunately, he would not live to see the end of the Civil War. In April of 1865, just blocks from where we stand today, Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre. Abraham Lincoln's service to Illinois alone warrants our remembrance and recognition, but his stewardship and vision led our Nation through the darkest and most dangerous time in our history; and for that, all Americans today and all those to come, are forever indebted to him. [[Page 17162]] Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my friend and colleague, the author of this legislation, Mr. LaHood, from the great State of Illinois. Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Biggert and Congresswoman Bean for this opportunity to consider the bill on the floor today that I have been working on for about a year and a half. In a little more than 2 years, the United States will celebrate the 200th birthday of its greatest President, Abraham Lincoln. We are all familiar with this legendary man's story. He was born in poverty in Kentucky, educated himself while growing up in the wilds of southern Indiana, and after failing in business eventually established a thriving legal practice in Illinois. He overcame repeated obstacles in his personal, professional, and political life and rose to lead our country through the greatest crisis it has ever faced. The American political system was still a fragile experiment, just 85 years old, when Abraham Lincoln became President in 1861. Many Europeans at the time viewed America's democracy with distaste and skepticism, and Lincoln knew that government of the people, by the people, and for the people would be discredited forever if a disaffected minority could simply withdraw from the government. His faith in representative government allowed him not only to save the Union but to forge a Nation. As the Congressman who represents much of the same district he represented in the 30th Congress from 1847 to 1849, I am privileged to be involved in the work of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, on which I serve as one of the cochairs along with Senator Richard Durbin and Harold Halzer. For the last several years, we have been striving to plan a fitting and proper celebration of the bicentennial of Lincoln's birthday in 2009. Among our efforts is this legislation that comes before the House today, H.R. 2808, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act. This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 500,000 one- dollar commemorative coins which would highlight the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln during the bicentennial year of 2009. Proceeds from the sale of the coin will help fund the celebration and the continued study of the life of President Lincoln. This legislation could not have come to the floor today without the extraordinary help and assistance of Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. In order to bring a bill like this to the floor, it requires 290 signatures of Members of the House in order to signal that the bill is prepared and ready to be considered by the House. Mr. Jackson was a great help in lining up and getting the signatures so that we could bring the bill to the House. I urge all to support the bill. Ms. BEAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of this legislation, and I commend my colleagues, Representative LaHood and Representative Jackson from Illinois, for the work that they did on this legislation. I am pleased to join with Representatives Biggert and Bean in expressing strong support for the measure. Abraham Lincoln was obviously one of the great historical figures of our Nation, and I remember as a child that my mother used to tell us stories about Abraham Lincoln. I recall how we would sit around her in awe of his exploits. I ultimately became, I guess what I would call a Lincoln scholar after having decided to major in history in undergraduate school. And Abraham Lincoln is one of the reasons that I am proud to call myself an Illinoisan. I am proud of the heritage of our State, proud of the tremendous work that he did and what he has meant to the development of what is the greatest Nation on the face of the Earth, the United States of America; and so I urge passage of this legislation. Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. BEAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just like to thank again my friend and colleague, Mr. LaHood, for his introduction of this bill; and I would also like to thank the Members of the Illinois delegation who have spoken so eloquently, and thank Ms. Bean for her managing this bill and Mr. Davis for being here and Mr. Jackson for also working on this bill. Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2808, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. LaHood. The legislation calls for the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 500,000 one-dollar silver coins in 2009, to mark the bicentennial of the birth of one of our greatest Presidents, Abraham Lincoln. The Nation's 16th President, he was born February 12, 1809, in present-day LaRue County, Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, we all know the story of the tall, craggy man who went on to become a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois. Later, by dint of honesty, integrity, intelligence and compassion, became President, and served through some of the most trying times of our Nation. We all know the tragic story of his death after being shot at Ford's Theater on April 15, 1865. And we all know the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. Few of us know, I think, the history of that famous proclamation. Although it ended up as a proclamation by the President using his war powers, it started life as a normal piece of legislation. In fact, its existence first was reported 144 years ago in the famous Harper's Weekly magazine of July 26, 1862, which said: ``The following message was delivered to Congress on Monday: FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES--Herewith is the draft of the bill to compensate any State which may abolish slavery within its limits, the passage of which, substantially as presented, I respectfully recommend. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.'' Congress and President Lincoln already had started down the road to emancipation, freeing slaves in the District of Columbia on April 16 of that year and in U.S. territories two months later. Lincoln issued a preliminary emancipation proclamation on September 22 of 1862, shortly after the Union victory at Antietam, and the final proclamation January 1, 1863. The Thirteenth Amendment made the proclamation permanent late in 1865. Mr. Speaker, those were astonishing actions, even for a time of war, and serve to remind us how truly remarkable Abraham Lincoln was. These coins called for in this legislation, and the surcharges on the sales of the coins that will be paid to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, will further illuminate Abraham Lincoln's life. Mr. Speaker, this legislation has more than the 290 cosponsors required for consideration, and will proceed at no cost to the taxpayers. Companion legislation already has passed the other body. I recommend its immediate passage. I enclose the following exchange of correspondence: House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC, September 5, 2006. Hon. William M. Thomas, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thomas: I am writing concerning H.R. 2808, the ``Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act,'' which was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Financial Services on June 8, 2006. It is my expectation that this bill will be scheduled for floor consideration in the near future. As you know, section 7 of the bill establishes a surcharge for the sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the bill. I acknowledge your committee's jurisdictional interest in such surcharges as revenue matters. However, I request that your committee forego action on H.R. 2808 in order to allow the bill to come to the floor expeditiously. I appreciate your cooperation in so doing, and agree that your decision to forego further action on this bill will not prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation. I would support your request for conferees on those provisions within your jurisdiction should this bill be the subject of a House-Senate conference. I will include a copy of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record when this bill is considered by the House. Thank you again for your assistance. Yours truly, Michael G. Oxley, Chairman. [[Page 17163]] House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC, September 5, 2006. Hon. Michael G. Oxley, Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Oxley: I am writing concerning H.R. 2808, the ``Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act,'' which is scheduled to be on the House floor on September 6, 2006. As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains jurisdiction over matters that concern raising revenue. H.R. 2808 contains a provision that establishes a surcharge for the sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the bill, and thus falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. However, in order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action. This is being done with the understanding that it does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation. I appreciate and agree to your offer to include this exchange of letters on this matter in the Congressional Record during floor consideration. Best regards, Bill Thomas, Chairman. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2808, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act. This Act recognizes the fact that the year 2009 will be the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln and directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins commemorating his birth. President Abraham Lincoln is one of the most important, most instrumental, and most revered individuals in our Nation's history. Few others have had such an important role in guiding the future of our Nation. He was committed to a government of the people, believed the Constitution was inviolate, and fought for the rights of every individual. President Lincoln's achievements include no less than the abolishment of slavery, the survival of the Union and the civil rights of all individuals, regardless of race or creed. President Lincoln truly believed in and fought for one indivisible Nation with liberty and justice for all. The legacy he left after his tragic death has continued to inspire generations. I hope that we, as elected Members of Congress of this great Nation, continue to find inspiration in President Lincoln's words from his Second Inaugural Address: ``With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds.'' In order to honor the 200th anniversary of his birth, the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission has been charged by Congress with planning the celebration of President Lincoln's bicentennial. The proceeds from a commemorative coin will help fund the celebration and the continued study of the life of President Lincoln. 500,000 one dollar silver coins will be issued, dated in the year 2009. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great admiration and respect that I rise today in support of H.R. 2808, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act. In celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, I join the Illinois delegation and other colleagues in honoring this great Illinoisan with a commemorative coin. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Kentucky. As a young man, he moved to Illinois where he earned the nickname, ``Honest Abe.'' He began his political career at the young age of 23, when he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly. After serving 12 years, Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives. He went on to run for U.S. Senate, during which he debated Stephen Douglas in the cities of Quincy and Galesburg located in my district. Although he was defeated, Lincoln's call to public service was strong and unwavering; he reemerged two years later as a presidential candidate. On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States. From the beginning of his presidency, Lincoln was tasked with the challenge of reuniting a Nation divided over slavery and Civil War. President Lincoln was steadfast in his efforts to preserve our Union and never let the world forget that the Civil War involved an even larger issue. This he profoundly stated in dedicating the military cemetery at Gettysburg by proclaiming, ``We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.'' As Representative of the 17th District of Illinois, I look to the legacy of Abraham Lincoln for guidance and inspiration. Not only did Mr. Lincoln show great leadership during a tumultuous time in our history, but he exhibited determination and conviction as he successfully fought to defend the liberty of every American. I urge my fellow colleagues to join me and vote in support of H.R. 2808, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act. Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2808, a bill that directs the Treasury Department to mint 500,000 one-dollar coins marking Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. Abraham Lincoln is a true American hero who will always be remembered for his commitment to the ideals of freedom, democracy, and equal opportunity. Illinois, known as the Land of Lincoln, is where Lincoln lived for many years and began his political career. Today, many historical sites in Illinois are dedicated in honor of Lincoln and his legacy. Illinois will be a focal point for activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. Besides being a noble tribute, this commemorative coin will help provide significant funding for the bicentennial and is an important part of how the United States will mark Lincoln's 200th birthday in 2009. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2808, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of those present have voted in the affirmative. Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. 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 and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. ____________________