[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 10259-10262]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              BOYS TOWN CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT

  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 893) to require the Secretary of the Treasury 
to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of Boys Town, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 893

       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 ``Boys Town Centennial 
     Commemorative Coin Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) Boys Town is a nonprofit organization dedicated to 
     saving children and healing

[[Page 10260]]

     families, nationally headquartered in the village of Boys 
     Town, Nebraska;
       (2) Father Flanagan's Boys Home, known as ``Boys Town'', 
     was founded on December 12, 1917, by Servant of God Father 
     Edward Flanagan;
       (3) Boys Town was created to serve children of all races 
     and religions;
       (4) news of the work of Father Flanagan spread worldwide 
     with the success of the 1938 movie, ``Boys Town'';
       (5) after World War II, President Truman asked Father 
     Flanagan to take his message to the world, and Father 
     Flanagan traveled the globe visiting war orphans and advising 
     government leaders on how to care for displaced children;
       (6) Boys Town has grown exponentially, and now provides 
     care to children and families across the country in 11 
     regions, including California, Nevada, Texas, Nebraska, Iowa, 
     Louisiana, North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, 
     Washington, DC, New York, and New England;
       (7) the Boys Town National Hotline provides counseling to 
     more than 150,000 callers each year;
       (8) the Boys Town National Research Hospital is a national 
     leader in the field of hearing care and research of Usher 
     Syndrome;
       (9) Boys Town programs impact the lives of more than 
     2,000,000 children and families across America each year; and
       (10) December 12th, 2017, will mark the 100th anniversary 
     of Boys Town, Nebraska.

     SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) $5 Gold Coins.--The Secretary of the Treasury (referred 
     to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not 
     more than 50,000 $5 coins in commemoration of the centennial 
     of the founding of Father Flanagan's Boys Town, each of which 
     shall--
       (1) weigh 8.359 grams;
       (2) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
       (3) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
       (b) $1 Silver Coins.--The Secretary shall mint and issue 
     not more than 350,000 $1 coins in commemoration of the 
     centennial of the founding of Father Flanagan's Boys Town, 
     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.
       (c) Half Dollar Clad Coins.--The Secretary shall mint and 
     issue not more than 300,000 half dollar clad coins in 
     commemoration of the centennial of the founding of Father 
     Flanagan's Boys Town, each of which shall--
       (1) weigh 11.34 grams;
       (2) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
       (3) be minted to the specifications for half dollar coins 
     contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United States Code.
       (d) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be 
     legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 
     States Code.
       (e) 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) In General.--The design of the coins minted under this 
     Act shall be emblematic of the 100 years of Boys Town, one of 
     the largest nonprofit child care agencies in the United 
     States.
       (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 ``2017''; 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 coins minted under this 
     Act shall be--
       (1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the 
     National Executive Director of Boys Town and the Commission 
     of Fine Arts; and
       (2) reviewed by the Citizens of 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 
     under this Act only during the period beginning on January 1, 
     2017, and ending on December 31, 2017.

     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; and
       (2) 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 as follows:
       (1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.
       (2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
       (3) A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half dollar 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 
     Boys Town to carry out Boys Town's cause of caring for and 
     assisting children and families in underserved communities 
     across America.
       (c) Audits.--Boys Town 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 will not 
     result in any net cost to the Federal Government; and
       (2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, shall be 
     disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7 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 gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn 
B. Maloney) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and to include extraneous material on this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 893, the Boys Town Centennial 
Commemorative Coin Act, introduced by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Fortenberry), and I seek its immediate passage.
  Mr. Speaker, on December 12, 2017, Boys Town will celebrate 100 years 
of saving children and healing families. Boys Town was founded in 1917 
by a young Irish priest, Father Edward Flanagan, who believed that 
every child could be a productive citizen if given love, a home, an 
education, and a trade. He accepted boys of every race, color, and 
creed--an amazing thing back in 1917.
  Boys Town first opened on December 12 of 1917 in a rundown Victorian 
mansion in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. In 1921, the home later moved to 
Overlook Farm on the outskirts of Omaha, where it remains located 
today. A number of years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Boys 
Town. By the 1930s, hundreds of boys lived at Boys Town, which grew to 
include dormitories and administrative buildings, and the boys even 
elected their own government, which included a mayor, a council, and 
commissioners.
  News of Father Flanagan's work spread worldwide, and even Hollywood 
took notice with the very famous 1938 movie ``Boys Town,'' with Spencer 
Tracy, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Father Flanagan. 
At the request of President Truman, he even traveled the world, 
visiting orphans and advising government leaders on how to care for 
displaced children after the war.

[[Page 10261]]

  Although Father Flanagan died in 1948, his work at Boys Town, which 
Flanagan called ``God's work''--and I think most of us would agree with 
that--continued. Today, although Boys Town is still headquartered in 
Nebraska, it continues to expand its care across America. It is one of 
the largest nonprofit child care agencies in the country, providing 
treatment for behavioral, emotional, and physical problems for children 
and their families, helping as many as 2 million people annually. 
Additionally, the Boys Town National Research Hospital is a global 
leader in the research of Usher syndrome.
  Mr. Speaker, I can't think of a better way to commemorate Father 
Flanagan and Boys Town than by creating this commemorative coin. The 
spirit of Boys Town truly embodies the best of America. This bill would 
help recognize and continue to nurture that spirit.
  I commend the gentleman from Nebraska for his hard work on this 
issue, and I ask for the immediate passage of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                                      Committee on Ways and Means,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, June 19, 2015.
     Hon. Jeb Hensarling,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Rayburn House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Hensarling: I am writing with respect to H.R. 
     893, the Boys Town Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. I 
     wanted to notify you that the Committee on Ways and Means 
     will forgo action on H.R. 893 so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.
       This is done with the understanding that the jurisdictional 
     interests of the Committee on Ways and Means over this and 
     similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. In 
     addition, the Committee reserves the right to seek conferees 
     on H.R. 893 and requests your support when such a request is 
     made.
       I would appreciate your response confirming this 
     understanding with respect to H.R. 893 and ask that a copy of 
     our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the 
     House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Paul Ryan,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                  Committee on Financial Services,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, June 22, 2015.
     Hon. Paul Ryan,
     Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Longworth House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Ryan: Thank you for your letter of June 19th 
     regarding H.R. 893, the Boys Town Centennial Commemorative 
     Coin Act.
       I am most appreciative of your decision to forego action on 
     H.R. 893 so that it may move expeditiously to the House 
     floor. I acknowledge that by forgoing such action the 
     Committee on Ways and Means is not waiving its jurisdictional 
     interest in this or similar legislation. In addition, if a 
     conference is necessary on this legislation, I will support 
     any request that your committee be represented therein.
       Finally, I shall be pleased to include your letter and this 
     letter in the Congressional Record during floor consideration 
     of this measure.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jeb Hensarling,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 893, the Boys Town Centennial Commemorative 
Coin Act.
  I was pleased to be an original sponsor in the last Congress and a 
cosponsor in this one. This bill appropriately recognizes the 
outstanding work done by Boys Town, a nonprofit organization 
headquartered in the village of Boys Town, Nebraska, that selflessly 
promotes the interest of children and their families across this 
Nation.

                              {time}  1545

  Boys Town, which takes its name from Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, 
impacts the lives of more than 2 million families across America each 
year through its counseling services, outreach, and education. I am 
also pleased to report that each year, Boys Town directly touches the 
lives of thousands of New Yorkers through its community support 
services and homes for troubled youth.
  Father Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town, focused on the inherent 
good in children and built a world class organization that emphasized 
the rehabilitation of troubled youth, rather than punishment. President 
Franklin Roosevelt once said that America needs 49 more Father 
Flanagans.
  It is this compassionate approach and commitment to love, training, 
and guidance, regardless of race or religion, that has made Boys Town 
such a success story and a lifeline for countless children and their 
families. In commemoration of their centennial anniversary, the bill 
before us today will require the U.S. Treasury Department to mint and 
issue $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar clad commemorative coins.
  Surcharges from the sale of the coins will allow Boys Town to raise 
needed funds that will be dedicated to making a positive impact on the 
lives of children and families from underserved communities across 
America. It is also important to note that the passage of this bill 
comes at absolutely no cost to the taxpayer.
  I would urge my colleagues to join me in passing this commonsense 
bipartisan bill without further delay.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), the sponsor 
of this bill.
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank Mr. Huizenga and 
Mrs. Maloney for their very thoughtful reflections on the history and 
importance of Boys Town. I greatly appreciate the sentiments offered.
  I am very happy and proud to stand here in support of the centennial 
commemorative coin. As was mentioned, Boys Town was founded in 1917 by 
Father Edward Flanagan and has since grown from a small local home for 
children who found themselves in difficult circumstances in Omaha to 
one of the largest nonprofit, nonsectarian child and family service 
organizations in America.
  Boys Town offers a remarkable model of academic and spiritual 
engagement. Students learn more than math and grammar, as important as 
that is. Their teachers and caregivers provide them with solid 
formation. Graduates are equipped to succeed not only professionally, 
but are also given the life skills to stay on the right path.
  Boys Town is so impactful that about 90 percent of the children who 
come there integrate successfully back into their communities; and 
historically, many, over time, have joined the military.
  What is this extraordinary model of intervention? It starts with a 
family. Each child is placed into a family with a caring, nurturing 
mother and a protective, giving father, where there are rules and 
expectations, discipline, and love.
  The success of Nebraska's Boys Town has recently been duplicated 
across many, many communities in our country. Their network of 11 
national sites and national hotlines touches the lives of more than 2 
million Americans each year.
  On December 2, 2017, Boys Town will celebrate 100 years of saving 
children and helping to heal families. In honor of this 100-year 
anniversary, this legislation, again, would authorize the U.S. Mint to 
produce a series of commemorative coins with a design emblematic of 
Boys Town's 100-year history.
  These coins, of course, will be available to the general public for 
sale and will more than offset the cost of minting by the Treasury. As 
was mentioned earlier, there will be no cost to the taxpayer.
  Mr. Speaker, Boys Town is a quiet institution nestled in the 
heartland, my home. It does great service to America by helping to heal 
wounds during this socially fractured time.
  A quick story, Mr. Speaker: last year, I had the privilege of 
participating as a commencement speaker at Boys Town. After I finished 
my address, the young people were called forward to receive their 
diplomas in a ceremony marked with great dignity and formality and even 
lightheartedness.
  Even though family and friends and those visiting were told to please 
hold their applause, the excitement couldn't

[[Page 10262]]

be contained. As each graduate crossed the stage, shouts of joy and 
encouragement and clapping continued throughout the whole event.
  Prior to the graduation, students had gathered for a retreat, giving 
them the opportunity for reflection and recommitment. During their last 
time together, the seniors discussed what they had to say. Here are 
quotes from a few of them.

       I ran in the wrong crowd, hated my family, kept running 
     away from home, and inflicted self-harm. At Boys Town, I am a 
     member of the Junior ROTC and learned to like myself and my 
     family. I look forward to returning home and being a good 
     example to my younger brother.

  Another said:

       I lived on the streets from age 10 to 13 and stole to eat. 
     I ended up in prison, and my cousin got shot in the face. I 
     never played sports, let alone attended school, but at Boys 
     Town, I just finished playing baseball this year and signed 
     on with a college to study business.

  Another child said this:

       My mom and dad were both in prison, and I had trouble since 
     kindergarten. In junior high, I was locked up myself for 2 
     years, and when I got out, my mom died. My dad was still in 
     prison. Since I have lived at Boys Town, I chose to get 
     myself on the right track and graduate and made a promise to 
     myself that I would never do anything that would land me in 
     prison. Boys Town saved my life.

  Mr. Speaker, fortunately, most children do not experience such trauma 
in their lives, but some do. These are the kids who bear the scars of 
fraying social and familial bonds, destructive choices, and legal 
difficulty.
  Through no fault of their own, the great problems of our time fall 
most heavily on our young people. Economic hardship and broken families 
destroy the sense of safety and possibility that is a necessary 
antidote to social alienation.
  Every child needs a nurturing environment of compassionate challenge 
and genuine promise. Education should cultivate that creativity, as 
well as dignity, allowing all boys and girls to realize their full 
potential.
  Today, we have an opportunity to celebrate the lives of remarkable 
young men and women and the extraordinary institution that is serving 
them so well. By authorizing this Boys Town commemorative coin, we are 
investing in the future of our children in a simple but I think really 
impactful way.
  I want to thank the nearly 300 bipartisan Members of this Congress 
who have signed on as cosponsors of this bill. I think that is an 
important statement. I would also like to thank Chairman Hensarling and 
Ranking Member Waters as well for their leadership on the committee.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time 
as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Ashford), whose 
father and grandfather served on the board of Boys Town.
  Mr. ASHFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time.
  I would like to commend my colleague Congressman Fortenberry for his 
work on this issue and his words, which are right on. I would like to 
thank as well the chairman for his words, which accurately describe the 
history of Boys Town. Let me also thank the ranking member for her 
comments that so accurately reflect what Boys Town means to our 
community and to the entire country.
  I grew up around Boys Town. I grew up playing sports at Boys Town. 
The high school that I went to, Boys Town was in our conference; and we 
spent many very difficult nights playing basketball against the Boys 
Town basketball team which, quite frankly, was better than we were on 
most every occasion.
  In my years in the legislature that lasted until last year, I had the 
opportunity to work with a colleague of mine, Senator Bob Krist from 
Omaha, who spearheaded significant juvenile justice reform in our 
State.
  The child welfare system in Nebraska was in deep trouble; and Senator 
Krist, along with Father Boes, who is the acclaimed and incredibly 
competent leader at Boys Town, we passed significant juvenile justice 
legislation that helps families throughout the State of Nebraska, that 
deals with brain development, that deals with wraparound services, 
family services, as was so aptly described by my colleague Congressman 
Fortenberry.
  Mr. Speaker, we are changing lives in Nebraska; and, as has been 
mentioned, Boys Town is changing lives throughout the country. Their 
unique approach to juvenile justice issues, the wraparound family-
centered services that deal with not only the parents but the siblings 
to help bring these young people into a productive life, is what Boys 
Town has been about for the 100 years that it has been in existence.
  It is no longer there, but I remember as a child in the 1950s 
actually seeing the first Boys Town facility in downtown Omaha. When I 
was growing up, Boys Town was way out of town. It had a farm around it. 
The farm is still there, but now, it is in the middle of Omaha, as 
Omaha grows.
  Though it is in a different place in the world today than it was in 
1917 with Father Flanagan, by bringing business leaders in Omaha 
together and others to create Boys Town, it serves that grand purpose 
that Father Flanagan envisioned in 1917.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I thank the ranking member 
for giving me this opportunity to speak.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the 
balance of my time.
  I thank Mr. Thornberry for his beautiful statement, as well as Mr. 
Ashford, from the great State of Nebraska.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  I, too, want to express my thanks to both Congressman Fortenberry and 
Congressman Ashford for their dedication and desire to highlight Boys 
Town and what an amazing thing that has happened out there and really 
the impact that it has had.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Jenkins of West Virginia). The question 
is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) 
that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 893, 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.

                          ____________________