[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18] [House] [Pages 24687-24693] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]GIRL SCOUTS USA CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 621) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the establishment of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 621 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 ``Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress find as follows: (1) The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls where they build character and skills for success in the real world. (2) In 1911, Juliette Gordon Low met Sir Robert Baden- Powell, a war hero and the founder of the Boy Scouts. (3) With Baden-Powell's help and encouragement, Juliette Gordon Low made plans to start a similar association for American girls. (4) On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low organized the first 2 Girl Scout Troops in Savannah, Georgia consisting of 18 members. (5) Low devoted the next 15 years of her life to building the organization, which would become the largest voluntary association for women and girls in the United States. (6) Low drafted the Girl Scout laws, supervised the writing of the first handbook in 1913, and provided most of the financial support for the organization during its early years. (7) The Girl Scouts of the United States of America was chartered by the United States Congress in 1950 in title 36, United States Code. (8) Today there are more than 3,700,000 members in 236,000 troops throughout the United States and United States territories. (9) Through membership in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Girls Scouts of the United States of America is part of a worldwide family of 10,000,000 girls and adults in 145 countries. (10) More than 50,000,000 American women enjoyed Girl Scouting during their childhood--and that number continues to grow as Girl Scouts of the United States of America continues to inspire, challenge, and empower girls everywhere. (11) March 12, 2012 will mark the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. 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 350,000 $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the Girl Scouts of the USA, each of 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.--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 be emblematic of the centennial of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. (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 ``2013''; 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 Girl Scouts of the United States of America 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.-- (1) In general.--Only 1 facility of the United States Mint may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this Act. (2) Use of the united states mint at west point, new york.--It is the sense of the Congress that the coins minted under this Act should be struck at the United States Mint at West Point, New York, to the greatest extent possible. (c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins under this Act only during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2013. 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 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) of title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be paid to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America to be made available for Girl Scout program development and delivery. (c) Audits.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall have the right to examine such books, records, documents, and other data of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America as may be related to the expenditures of amounts paid 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. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. (a) Continued Issuance of Certain Commemorative Coins Minted in 2009.--Notwithstanding sections 303 and 304 of the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 (31 U.S.C. 5112 nt.), the Secretary of the Treasury may continue to issue numismatic items that contain 1-cent coins minted in 2009 after December 31, 2009, until not later than June 30, 2010. [[Page 24688]] (b) Distribution of Surcharges.--Section 7 of the Jamestown 400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act of 2004 (31 U.S.C. 5112 nt.) is amended-- (1) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by striking ``in equal shares'' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting ``in the proportion specified to the following organizations for the purposes described in such subparagraph: ``(i) 2/3 to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. ``(ii) 1/3 to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia.''; and (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``, the Secretary of the Interior,''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois. General Leave Mr. FOSTER. Madam 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 material thereon. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois? There was no objection. Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, in 1912, just 18 girls from Georgia came together in what would become the first meeting of the Girl Scouts. Since then, the program has grown to 3.7 million girls to become the organization that we know today. To date, the Girl Scouts have shown 5 million girls how to lead, how to work together, and how to serve our communities. The Girl Scouts of the United States have had such prestigious members as the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, former Supreme Court Justice; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; and former First Lady Nancy Reagan. The Fox Valley Girl Scouts Council, which serves portions of my congressional district, has 6,000 registered members sponsored by over 1,600 adult volunteers. I appreciate the work of these Girl Scouts, who have devoted so much time and effort to community service projects in our community. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of H.R. 621, and I thank Mr. Kingston for introducing it. H.R. 621 directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and to issue up to 350,000 one dollar coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Girl Scouts. The Girl Scouts of the USA has helped shape millions of young girls' lives, and in turn strengthened our communities. I congratulate the Girl Scouts on their 97 years of service and look forward to the passage of this piece of legislation so that we can join with them in celebrating their centennial in 2012. Madam Speaker, I submit the following correspondence. October 13, 2009. Hon. Barney Frank, Chairman, Financial Services Committee, 2129 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Frank: I am writing regarding H.R. 621, the ``Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act of 2009.'' As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains jurisdiction over bills that raise revenue. H.R. 621 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, as part of our ongoing understanding regarding commemorative coin bills and 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 in the future. I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 621, and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the record. Sincerely, Charles B. Rangel, Chairman. ____ October 13, 2009. Hon. Charles B. Rangel, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Charlie: I am writing in response to your letter regarding H.R. 621, the ``Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act,'' which was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Financial Services on January 21, 2009. It is my understanding that this bill will be scheduled for floor consideration shortly. I wish to confirm our mutual understanding on this bill. 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 appreciate your willingness to forego committee action on H.R. 621 in order to allow the bill to come to the floor expeditiously. I 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 this exchange of letters in the Congressional Record when this bill is considered by the House. Thank you again for your assistance. Barney Frank, Chairman. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is a great honor to be here with Mr. Foster, and I want to thank Mr. Bachus and Mr. Frank and the members of the Financial Services Committee for their support of this commemorative coin bill. This commemorative coin, like all commemorative coins, will pay for itself. Once it has done that, the additional money that it brings in will benefit the centennial activities of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, as well as helping with some of the repairs of the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace, her childhood home, which is located in Savannah, Georgia. I think I, like so many people, have great memories of Girl Scouts, even though I wasn't one. My sisters, Betty, Barbara, and Jean, were all Girl Scouts, and they all wore their Brownie uniforms and then their Girl Scout uniforms, and my mother was one of the--I want to say den mother, and, Madam Speaker, I don't know the exact title, but she was a consultant--a leader. A great Girl Scout on the front row, Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, has corrected me. But they had those sashes. And I was a Y-boy and we didn't get sashes. {time} 1915 We didn't get to earn merit badges. But I always thought what a great system of training people. And of course, Girl Scouts got to sell the cookies, of which I not only did not have to sell, but I got to eat. So I got two great benefits from them, and so many other people did the same. Girl Scout cookies actually started in December 1917, and that was when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, started baking cookies, and they sold them in their high school that year. And then it grew in the 1920s and the 1930s, Girl Scouts followed suit all over the country and started to sell them. They sold them for 25 and 35 cents a dozen and in time had 11 varieties. And can I get a favorite? I think everybody would vote on a bipartisan basis, it is the Thin Mint. Mr. FOSTER. Will the gentleman yield? Mr. KINGSTON. I will be happy to yield to my friend. Mr. FOSTER. I very much share your opinion. I have to address the Speaker. I'm sure the Speaker and everyone in this room agrees that Thin Mints are the cookie of choice. Mr. KINGSTON. See, Madam Speaker, only the Girl Scouts could bring such bipartisan fellowship here so quickly in a bill. [[Page 24689]] Juliette Gordon Low was an amazing historical figure. She was actually nicknamed Daisy as a child. Her parents were early settlers, on the dad's side from Georgia, and her mother's family came from Chicago. She was born on Halloween in 1860 and grew up during the Civil War in the difficult Reconstruction period in the Deep South. Her father owned a big house, and she developed a fondness as a child for writing poems, sketching, painting. She acted in plays and became a sculptor and a blacksmith. Her brother, George Arthur Gordon, described her this way: She was deeply religious, quite superstitious, and a confirmed hero worshiper. Underneath her bubbling, irrepressible gaiety, there was a deep, generous, loyal, loving, striving, brave, self-sacrificing personality. She had her full share of slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and she not only met them, as the poet advised, by opposing, but in every crisis of her life she faced fate with a smiling defiance that was simply sublime. And that's from somebody who would know her well. As a child, she started a group called Helping Hands to help make clothes for the poor. She grew up in Savannah but went to a boarding school in Virginia. She made her debut in Savannah and enjoyed the good life. She married a young man which her parents weren't really crazy about because of their age, but they went ahead and got married and I guess, showing her streak of independence, got married on her parents' 29th wedding anniversary date, December 21, 1886, and got married in Christ Episcopal Church, where she was also christened and later would be buried. Juliette Gordon Low had a hearing problem, and when she was leaving the church, at her wedding, on her wedding day, rice was being thrown, and one found itself lodged in her ear. It caused a problem which caused her to lose much of her hearing, and she went through life almost deaf, which later served her, though, because, as a fundraiser, she could pretend to not understand when people said ``no'' when she was asking for money for the Girl Scouts, so she would persevere and get more money from them. But an interesting thing happened to Juliette Gordon Low on the way to a good life. After the Spanish American War, her marriage fell apart, and when it did, she wasn't sure what her sense of direction would be and actually considered being a sculptor. But in 1911, she met Sir Robert Baden-Powell who, as we know, started the Boy Scouts in England, and he told Ms. Low about a sister organization that his own biological sister had started in England called the Girl Guides. He recommended to her that she do the same thing. So, as Mr. Foster has said, when she came back to America on March 12, 1912, she started the Girl Scouts of America, and actually wrote a friend a note and said, come right over; I have something for all the girls of Savannah and all America and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight. And they did start it. And by the time she died, there were 168,000 members of the Girl Scouts from that first 18. The impact that they had has been national and international. Girl Scouts have been all over the map, and their history has followed the history of the United States. They collected clothes during the Depression. They made quilts. They carved wood toys. They gathered food for the poor. They assisted in hospitals. They participated in food drives and canning programs, provided meals to undernourished program, and in World War II, they operated a bicycle courier service and invested more than 48,000 hours in farm aid projects, collected fat and scrap metal, and grew victory gardens. They also collected 1\1/2\ million articles of clothing that were shipped overseas to children and adult victims of the war. Nearly 100 years ago this happened, and yet Juliette Gordon Low's legacy of friendship, education and ideals is today shared by 3.8 million girls and women. We should be very proud to live in a country where such an organization exists, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation. I rise to honor the Girl Scouts of the United States and their founder, Juliette Gordon Low. H.R. 621 would create a Girl Scouts Commemorative Coin in celebration of their 100th Birthday. Proceeds of this coin will benefit Centennial activities and the Birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low. Today, the Girl Scouts are known for their cookies--of course--and their blue, green, or brown scouting uniforms, but most importantly, the Girl Scouts are known for their dedication in growing and nurturing life skills of young women around the globe. Scouts can earn over 300 badges and awards throughout their journey as a Scout for completing tasks which expand areas of knowledge and experience. These badges vary from Computer Smarts, to Money Sense, to First Aid, to Sports and Games, and Heritage. Girl Scouts number nearly 3.8 million--2.8 million girl members and 963,000 adult members. Although cookie sales are the most recognized Girl Scouting Activity, they started on a much smaller scale. Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens of Scouts themselves--with their mothers' assistance. The earliest mention of a cookie sale found to date was by the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project in December 1917. In the 1920s and 1930s, Girl Scouts in different parts of the country continued to bake their own simple sugar cookies with their mothers. These cookies were packaged in wax paper bags, sealed with a sticker, and sold door to door for 25 to 35 cents per dozen. This project has now expanded to 11 varieties of cookies, with Thin Mints as the annual favorite. Selling cookies began just five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States in 1912. The Founder, Juliet Gordon, was born in Savannah, Georgia on Halloween 1860. Affectionately called ``Daisy'' (which is now the name of the youngest troop designation) by family and close friends, Juliette's paternal family were early settlers in Georgia and her mother's family played an important role in the founding of Chicago. She was the second of 6 children and grew up during the difficult era of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Daisy spent her early years in Wayne-Gordon House in Savannah, Georgia. In 1818, Savannah Mayor James Moore Wayne, later a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, purchased a double house lot on the northeast corner of Bull and South Broad streets. The house constructed for Wayne at a cost of $6,500, consisted of a two-story, double town house over a raised basement. In 1831, James Moore Wayne sold the house to his niece, Sarah Stites Anderson Gordon, and her husband, William Washington Gordon I, Daisy's parents. Today, this is the location of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace and Girl Scout museum. In this house, young Daisy developed a lifetime interest in the arts--wrote poems, sketched, wrote and acted in plays, and later became a skilled painter, sculptor, and blacksmith. She had many pets throughout her life and was particularly fond of exotic birds, Georgia mockingbirds, and dogs. Daisy was also known for her great sense of humor. Her brother, George Arthur Gordon, described her this way, ``She was deeply religious, quite superstitious and a confirmed hero worshiper. Underneath her bubbling, irrepressible gaiety, there was a deep, generous, loyal, loving, striving, brave, self-sacrificing personality. She had her full share of slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and she not only met them as the poet advised, by opposing, but in every crisis of her life she faced fate with a smiling defiance that was simply sublime.'' Her dedication to the community started at a young age. As a teenager, Juliette formed her first organization, the ``Helping Hands,'' whose activities included making clothes for the poor. Juliette was a great organizer of people and situations, though not particularly organized herself. Juliette attended school in Savannah, and moved to a boarding school at Virginia Female Institute (now Stuart Hall School) during her teens. She later attended Mlles Charbonniers, a French finishing school in New York City and traveled extensively in the United States and Europe after schooling. After her debut in Savannah, Daisy met the handsome and charming William Mackay Low--nicknamed Billow. Billow's father was an associate of Daisy's father and a prosperous British shipping tycoon with Savannah ties. Although her parents would never approve of a relationship between them, Daisy became convinced if she did not marry him, she would not marry at all. She characteristically continued to conceal her feelings from her family and friends; only revealing her innermost thoughts to her diary. A year later, she became secretly engaged to Billow in January of 1886. When the engagement was revealed, her parents expectedly opposed the relationship as they [[Page 24690]] felt that Billow was too spoiled and irresponsible to care for a wife and family. However, Daisy and Billow were both of age and Billow was bestowed with his father's fortune. On December 21, 1886--on her parents' 29th wedding anniversary--Juliette married Low at Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah, Georgia. She believed that, since her parents' marriage had been an idyllic one, the date would be lucky for her as well. During her wedding exit, a grain of good-luck rice became lodged in Daisy's ear. When trying to remove the rice, the doctor punctured the eardrum and damaged the nerve-endings resulting in a total loss of hearing in that ear at the age of 26. Her other ear had previously lost hearing because of an improperly treated abscess in 1885. Juliette would later use her hearing impediment to her benefit. When asking for donations, she would purposely play deaf to not hear the word ``no.'' Instead, she would respond with the date she would come by to pick up the donation. However, her deafness did have an effect in certain social situations--during dinner function, a speaker rose to acknowledge Juliette. She became upset when the audience was not clapping at every pause, so she began clapping--unaware that the speaker was talking about her own accomplishments. A fellow diner had to stop her, as it is not proper to clap for yourself. Putting difficulty aside, Juliette Low continued the luxurious life of a young Victorian lady during her married years in both England and Savannah. During the Spanish-American War, however, Juliette came back to America to aid in the war effort. She helped her mother organize a recovery hospital for wounded soldiers returning from Cuba. Her father (who had been a captain in the Confederate Army) was commissioned as a general in the U.S. Army and served on the Puerto Rican Peace Commission. At the end of the war, Juliette returned to England to a disintegrating marriage. The Lows were separated at the time of her husband's death in 1905. Daisy considered herself to be a failure. She had no children, a failed marriage, and was left with little money from her husband. She was looking for something useful to do with her life and was considering becoming a professional sculptor when, in 1911, she met Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Sir Robert, a military hero with a keen interest in young people, was also a painter and sculptor, an interest he shared with Daisy. He had begun a successful group in England known as the Boy Scouts. He was shocked to discover that 6,000 girls had joined the Boy Scouts, and urged his sister to ``do something'' with the girls--so she began a parallel organization called Girl Guides. Sir Robert told Daisy about the two groups; she wrote in her diary after meeting him, ``He has ideas, which if I followed them, a more useful sphere of work might open before me in the future.'' In 1912, Juliette returned to Savannah and called her cousin, principal of a local girl's school, and told her to ``Come right over! I have something for all the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world and we're going to start it tonight!'' That was the beginning of the Girl Scouts USA. The first Girl Guide meeting in the U.S. was held March 12, 1912. The first two patrols (today known as troops) consisted of 18 girls. They wore the blue uniform of the British Girl Guides and used the same handbook as the British Guides. Juliette, an inveterate fund raiser, would use all sort of baited props to gain donations including a tomato tin with assorted Girl Scouts badges and awards to ``pin'' donors, and a hat decorated with root vegetables. When asked the purpose of her hat, she simply replied that she could not afford to properly decorate her hat as she donated most of her money to the Girl Scouts and then of course asked for an additional donation for the cause. In 1913, the American girls decided they wanted their own identity and the name was changed to Girl Scouts and Juliette published the first handbook, ``How Girls Can Help Their Country; A Handbook for Girl Scouts.'' In her handbook, Daisy encouraged girls to participate in competitive sports and to develop career skills, in short, to BE PREPARED for life--still a guiding principle today. Juliette was also known for humorous antics such as standing on her head in a board meeting to show off the new Girl Scout shoes--a move usually saved for an ill niece or nephew. During the mid-1920s, Juliette Low developed cancer; characteristically, she kept her illness hidden from family and friends. She served as President from 1915 until 1920 then she stepped down and assumed the role of the ``Founder'' of the Girl Scouts. In the 15 years that she worked with the organization, Girl Scouts grew from 18 members in Savannah to 168,000 members nationally. Juliette Low was honored for her contributions on Georgia Day, February 12, 1926 by the city of Savannah and the state of Georgia in a large celebration held in Forsythe Park. She was able to attend the World Conference of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1926 held at Edith Macy Girl Scout National Center just outside of New York City. Following the conference, she took a trip back to England to say good- bye to her friends. She died at her home on Lafayette Square on January 17, 1927 at the age of 66. Her funeral was held at Christ Church--the same in which she was married and christened--and was attended by hundreds of community members and her beloved Girl Scouts. She is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery in the Gordon Family plot. Throughout America's history, the Girl Scouts have reacted to many differing needs. During World War I, girls learned about food production and conservation, sold war bonds, worked in hospitals, and collected peach pits for use in gas mask filters. By 1920, there were nearly 70,000 Girl Scouts nationwide, including the territory of Hawaii and new Girl Scout badges included Economist and Interpreter, and revisions already were being made to the Journalist and Motorist badges. Girl Scouts led community relief efforts during the Great Depression by collecting clothing, making quilts, carving wood toys, gathering food for the poor, assisting in hospitals, participating in food drives and canning programs, and providing meals to undernourished children. During WWII, Girl Scouts operated bicycle courier services, invested more than 48,000 hours in Farm Aid projects, collected fat and scrap metal, and grew Victory Gardens. They also collected 1.5 million articles of clothing that were then shipped overseas to children and adult victims of war. Today, nearly 100 years later, Juliet Gordon Low's legacy of friendship, education, and ideals is shared and perpetuated by over 3.8 million currently registered Girl Scouts and, through USA Girl Scouts Overseas, her influence extends around the world. Every day, the Girl Scouts help mold young women and girls throughout our Nation by empowering them with knowledge and experience. This organization allows girls from all backgrounds to benefit from enriching experiences such as field trips, sporting activities, cultural exchanges, and volunteer work. In its near 100 years, more than 50+ million American women befitted from Girl Scouting in their childhood. In addition to their National and global success, many former members carry the Girl Scouts legacy. One-third of female elected officials and almost 80% of female CEOs were Girl Scouts, in addition to sports stars, astronauts, presidential families, cartoonists, singers, actresses, Olympic medalists, and even a Supreme Court Justice. I am honored to support the Girl Scouts' 100 years, their dedicated Founder Juliette Gordon Low, and the crucial principles which they instill in each and every Girl Scout member. I wish them another 100 years of success. Below I have listed some of the more famous Girl Scouts. But most of all I want to give special thanks to Allison Thigpen who helped with the passage of this legislation and without her it would not be possible to bring H.R. 621 to the floor. Bellamy, Carol--Executive Director, UNICEF Dole, Elizabeth--Former President, American Red Cross Katen, Karen--Vice President, Pfizer Marram, Ellen--Former President, Tropicana Bush, Laura--Wife of President George Bush, Jr (43rd President) Clinton, Chelsea--Daughter of Bill Clinton (42nd President) Gore, Tipper--Wife of former VP Al Gore Johnson Robb, Lynda--Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President) Johnson Turpin, Luci--Daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President) Kennedy, Ethel--Wife of Robert Kennedy (Presidential candidate) Nixon Cox, Tricia--Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th President) Nixon Eisenhower, Julie--Daughter of Richard Nixon (37th President) Reagan, Nancy--Wife of Ronald Reagan (40th President) Rodham Clinton, Hillary--Wife of Bill Clinton (42nd President) Albright, Madeleine--former US Secretary of State Napolitano, Janet--D-AZ; Former Governor Collins, Lt Col Eileen--1st Woman Space Shuttle Commander Astronaut 6 American Astronauts Day O'Connor, Sandra--Associate Justice, US Supreme Court Jones, Starr--Co-host, ``The View,'' ABC-TV Sweeney, Anne--President, Disney/ABC Cable Network Walters, Barbara--Anchorwoman of ABC's ``20/20'' [[Page 24691]] Allison, Jacqueline--Rear Admiral/Navy Edmunds, Jeanette--Colonel, US Army War Reserve Elliot, Carol C.--Brigadier General, USAF Engel, Joan--Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety Fishburne, Lillian--Rear Admiral/Navy Frost, Kathy--The Adjutant General of the Army Johnson, Joyce--Rear Admiral, Director, Health & Safety Kirkpatrick, Jeanne--Former US Ambassador to the United Nations McGann, Barbara--Rear Admiral/Navy Paige, Kathleen K--RADM, VSN Stierle, Linda--Brigadier General Widnall, Sheila--US Secretary of Air Force--retired Williamson, Myrna, Gen.--Retired Army General Bergen, Candace--Actress Crow, Sheryl--Singer/Songwriter Fisher, Carrie--Actress, Author Lucci, Susan--Actress Merchant, Natalie--Singer, Songwriter Reynolds, Debbie--Actress Stewart, Martha--TV Personality; Martha Stewart Living Moore, Ann--Publisher, ``People'' magazine Dion, Celine--Singer Moore, Mary Tyler--Actress Fanning, Dakota--Actress Ackerman, Valede--Women's National Basketball Bell, Judy--Former President, US Golf Association; amateur golfer Blair, Bonnie--'94 Gold Olympian Speed Skater Fleming, Peggy--'68 figure skating gold Olympian Hamill, Dorothy--'76 figure skating gold Olympian Joyner-Kersee, Jacqueline--'88 Long Jump Gold Olympian MacMillan, Shannon--Women's World Cup Member Marquis, Gail--Olympic Basketball Medalist; basketball commentator McPeak, Holly--Beach Pro Volleyball McTiernan, Kerri-Ann--1st woman coach, men's basketball Powell, Renee--1st African American Golf Player on LPGA Redman, Susie--Pro golfer Rigby-Mason, Cathy--Olympic Gymnast & TV Commentator St. John Deane, Bonnie--Paralympic Snow Skiing Medalist St. James, Lyn--Auto Racing; '92 Indy 500 ``Rookie of the Year'' Williams, Venus--Tennis Champion Dove, Rita--'93 US Poet Laureate Steinem, Gloria--Author Brandon, Barbara--Cartoonist Gist, Carole--1st African American Miss USA Whitestone, Heather--Miss America, '95 Thigpen, Allison--Hill Staffer Extraordinaire Girl Scout Members of Congress Baldwin, Tammy--D-WI; House Biggert, Judy--R-IL; House Bono, Mary--R-CA; House Capps, Lois--D-CA; House Chenoweth, Helen--R-ID; House Christensen, Donna--D-VI; House Clayton, Eva--D-NC; House Collins, Susan--D-ME; Senate Cubin, Barbara--R-WY; House DeGette, Diana--D-CO; House Emerson, JoAnn--R-MO; House Eshoo, Anna G.--D-CA; House Fowler, Tillie--R-FL; House Granger, Kay--R-TX; House Hutchison, Kay Bailey--R-TX; Senate Jackson-Lee, Sheila--D-TX; House Johnson, Eddie Bernice--D-TX; House Kaptur, Marcy--D-OH; House Kilpatrick, Carolyn Cheeks--D-MI; House Landrieu, Mary--D-LA; Senate Lee, Barbara--D-CA; House Lincoln, Blanche--D-AR; Senate Lowey, Nita--D-NY; House McCarthy, Carolyn--D-NY; House McCarthy, Karen--D-MO; House Meek, Carrie P.--D-FL; House Mikulski, Barbara--D-MD; Senate Millender-McDonald, Juanita--D-CA; House Mink, Patsy--D-HI; House Murray, Patty--D-WA; Senate Myrick, Sue--R-NC; House Northup, Anne--R-KY; House Pryce, Deborah--R-OH; House Rodham Clinton, Hillary--D-NY; Senate Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana--R-FL; House Roukema, Marge--R-NJ; House Sanchez, Loretta--D-CA; House Schakowsky, Jan--D-IL; House Slaughter, Louise M.--D-NY; House Stabenow, Deborah--D-MI; House Tauscher, Ellen O.--D-CA; House Thurman, Karen L.--D-FL; House Tubbs Jones, Stephanie--D-OH; House Wilson, Heather--R-NM; House Woolsey, Lynn--D-CA; House I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. FOSTER. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz). Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, before I begin my remarks in support of H.R. 621, I do want to suggest to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster) that Samoas would probably give Thin Mints a run for their money, just speaking from personal experience. I'm out there helping my daughters drag that wagon behind me. Mr. KINGSTON. Will my friend yield a minute? Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I'd be happy to yield. Mr. KINGSTON. I just was wondering, can you put those in vanilla ice cream and crunch them the same way you can the Thin Mints? Can you say in your heart of hearts they really have the substance and the property that you're looking for as you bite down? I'm only asking. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Reclaiming my time, the gentleman would be interested and thrilled to learn that both Samoas and Thin Mints are now in ice cream that are special edition Edy's brand ice creams that are sold during the time in January when the Girl Scouts are out there selling their cookies for a good cause. Mr. KINGSTON. Well, let me say to my friend, I stand instructed, and I appreciate being schooled today. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I'm glad to provide you with the furtherance of your education on the Girl Scouts whose leaders, by the way, are not den mothers. Those are the Cub Scouts. Troop leaders are the actual title for Girl Scouts, and den mothers are Cub Scouts. Anyway, I realize that that has cut into much of my 2 minutes, so if the gentleman would further yield. Mr. FOSTER. I yield the gentlelady another minute. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Thank you very much. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 621, the Girl Scouts USA Commemorative Coin Act. It is an honor to work with the sponsor of this important legislation, my friend and colleague from Georgia, Representative Jack Kingston. As you may know, and as he has so wonderfully detailed, 97 years ago the first Girl Scout National Council meeting was held right here in Washington, D.C., and founder Juliette Gordon Low was elected president. Ms. Low envisioned providing a safe place, an environment of acceptance where girls could be inspired and challenged to build the necessary skills to become leaders. This vision still holds strong today, and the Girl Scouts provide the premier opportunity for girls and women to develop the talents and confidence necessary for a lifetime of leadership. Being involved in this pursuit means something different to everyone. To me, it means leading by example every day. I'm honored to serve in the United States Congress, Madam Speaker, and I'm proud to tell you that not only was I a Girl Scout, but I am currently a troop leader for my 10-year-old daughter, Rebecca, her troop, and have been for 4 years; and now this year, for the first time, for my 6-year-old daughter Shelby's Brownie troop. But I never stopped being a Girl Scout myself, because I'm currently a member, as I know you are, of Troop Capitol Hill, the honorary Congressional Girl Scout Troop for all women Members of Congress. In each of these roles, I personally see how Girl Scouts enriches the lives of millions of girls and their families through innovative programming that embraces the rich diversity of communities across our country. Girl Scouts are working day and night to make the world a better place. Through projects in their schools, local neighborhoods, and the international community, they touch lives in many ways. The Girl Scouts Commemorative Coin Act would recognize all the significant contributions of the Girl Scouts movement. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. Mr. FOSTER. I yield the gentlelady an additional minute. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. The Girl Scouts Commemorative Coin Act would recognize all of the significant contributions of the Girl Scouts movement and commend their century of service to this country. I strongly join my colleagues in urging our colleagues to vote in favor of this worthy legislation. [[Page 24692]] Mr. KINGSTON. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen). Mr. PAULSEN. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this issue as well. For nearly 100 years, the Girl Scouts have helped girls throughout the United States develop their full individual potential. The first Girl Scout troop was founded on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia. And since then, more than 50 million American women have enjoyed Girl Scouting during their childhood, and that number's still growing. There's over 3.7 million Girl Scouts across the Nation today. And as the father of four daughters, I can speak to the testament where Cassie and Briana were involved in the Girl Scouts themselves, and Tayler and Liesl still are actively participating in the Girl Scouts, and I certainly understand the importance that this institution has had and is having on their life. So through a variety of experiences, ranging from field trips to community service projects to cultural exchanges, the Girl Scouts have helped girls build individual character and skills to succeed in today's world. And by fostering the development of these skills, the Girl Scouts have helped millions of girls contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, their leadership skills and cooperation with others. 2012 will mark the 100th year anniversary of Girl Scouting here in the United States of America. And the legislation before us with the leadership of the gentleman, my colleague from Illinois, as well, would honor this milestone by authorizing the minting of 350,000 $1 coins, and the proceeds from that sale of these commemorative coins would, in turn, go back to the Girl Scouts program which is so important. And the Senate counterpart bill I know, as well, has over 70 cosponsors and is moving forward in a bipartisan manner. I expect it's going to pass swiftly as well. But finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the cookies as well, and I'll put in one more vote. It's been a staple of Girl Scout fundraising for a long period of time all the way back to 1917. But just like my colleagues from Illinois and Georgia, my personal favorite is the Thin Mint. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. KINGSTON. I yield 20 more seconds to the gentleman only because he's a Thin Mint person. Mr. PAULSEN. Just seeing Dairy Queen as an institution also cooperate with the Girl Scouts to promote their cookie sales is outstanding. So, Madam Speaker, this legislation before us honors an institution that has positively impacted the fabric of America for decades, and I encourage my colleagues to support it. Mr. FOSTER. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Illinois and the gentleman from Georgia for their respective leadership, and I will just tell you that my memory on what flavors I enjoyed may be a little dull. My daughter is a little bit older than 12 or 15 or 20 or 25, and at that point I will stop for fear of her commentary on me giving her age. But I will say that I am honored to stand and support the Girl Scouts and the congressional coin in honor of them for the very special reason that I had the pleasure of watching my daughter grow up as a Girl Scout, but more particularly carry around those Girl Scout cookies in my Taurus station wagon and compete against the other mothers to make sure that we sold the most. And I would say to you that all of them were gourmet, because whichever box was left over, we told the person who was buying it it's the best bunch of cookies you could ever buy. {time} 1930 This is very special because this is a combination of two wonderful people, Juliette Gordon Low and Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Mr. Baden- Powell was a war hero and a founder of the Boy Scouts. What a perfect combination. So he encouraged his wife, or she was encouraged by him, and sought his help to establish the Girl Scouts in 1912. So in 1912 they started, and so 2012 they will have their 100th year. But I really want to focus on why the Girl Scouts were so important, what they did for my daughter, Erica Shelwyn Lee. The interesting thing is that the Girl Scouts was founded even before women had the right to vote. They were the early underpinnings of giving girls leadership skills, how special that can be. And now we find there are 236,000 troops--and they're called ``troop leaders'' by the way--and there are 10 million girls today around the world that are made up of Girl Guides, and Girl Scouts, and Girl Scouts of the United States of America, all part of a worldwide family of 10 million girls and adults in 145 countries. What a success story. And so this is an important affirmation of how important Girl Scouts have been to the building of character of women. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished gentleman. This is an affirmation of what leadership skills can do for America. Girl Scouts have grown up to be many outstanding leaders here and around the world. But one thing I think is very important. It teaches young girls team partnership, the ability to work together, the ability to succeed together and fail together and not give up. So I am very glad to rise and salute the Girl Scouts of the United States of America but also to applaud this legislation of H.R. 621. I congratulate my friend from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) and my good friend Mr. Foster from Illinois for this great legislation, and all of those sponsors, and I am pleased to advocate for its passage. Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, if I could ask an inquiry of my friend from Texas. Now, you have not said which cookie is your favorite. You did kind of sidestep it, saying they were all gourmet, but Mr. Foster and I just want to know. I yield the gentlewoman 2 minutes on this very important issue. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I do remember them coming in big brown boxes, and I had them all stuffed in my station wagon going from door to door. But the shortbread ones have to be the best. I know you all had all of the mint and the Samoas, but the shortbread was the tastiest. I love the shortbread. Texas likes it big and simple, and shortbread did the job. Mr. KINGSTON. I would ordinarily tell my friend I am a little disappointed. However, inasmuch as you have explained it so eloquently, I will say we'll give the shortbread honorable mention here. And I saw Mr. Gingrey raised his hand as a shortbread guy himself. I yield to the gentlelady. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. This is the true spirit of bipartisanship, and I am delighted that we are rising today to support this very fine bill to honor the Girl Scouts of America with this gold coin. Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, we have no other speakers. I was going to finish a statement real quickly and then yield back the balance of our time. And I wanted to say with Ms. Jackson-Lee here and Ms. Ileana Ros- Lehtinen that these are two of our Girl Scout Members. I have a list of other Members who I will be submitting for the Record. But also, Madam Speaker, I want to say that this bill also contains a pair of coin-related technical corrections, one of which allows an extension in the sale of the proof set contained in the 2009 Abraham Lincoln bicentennial one-cent coins because of a manufacturing glitch which slowed down the production of approved sets. Taken together, though, this bill is still budget neutral. The Senate counterpart bill has more than 70 cosponsors, and I expect swift consideration of this bill there as well. And so, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. [[Page 24693]] I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 621, the Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. The Girl Scouts of the USA is an outstanding organization dedicated to nurturing young women in the leadership skills they will undoubtedly utilize in their futures. Founded in 1912 in Savannah, GA by Juliette Gordon, Girl Scouts of the USA has magnanimously carried out its mission to ``build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.'' In fact, this organization has grown very large over its 97 year history to include 3.7 million Girl Scouts, 2.7 million girl members, and 928,000 adult members who serve as volunteers. Further, Girl Scouts has become a global organization including 236,000 troops and groups in over 90 countries. Girl Scouts are known nationwide for their delicious cookies; however, this organization does much more than baking for the lives of young women. While various activities and youth groups teach basic skills and promote teamwork, Girl Scouting goes beyond that and encourages youth to achieve a deeper appreciation for service to others in their communities. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Girl Scouting promotes activities that lead to personal responsibility and high self-esteem. As a result, when hard decisions must be made, peer pressure can be resisted and the right choices can be made. Madam Speaker, from the beginning of the Girl Scout program as a Daisy to the eventual completion of the program and attainment of the rank of Ambassador, Girl Scouts of the USA has long trained young women in the necessary skills that will enable them to be the future leaders of the United States. The young women in this organization complete ``journeys'' that enlighten them on social issues, promote community service, and instill in them the necessary confidence and courage to have a bright and successful future. I applaud the efforts and the accomplishments of all of our nation's Girl Scouts, and specifically those of the 11th District of Georgia, which is my privilege to represent in Congress. I urge all of my colleagues to continue to support this honorable organization and the excellent young women that it continues to produce. Mr. FOSTER. 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 gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 621, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________