[Senate Report 105-245]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 465
105th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 105-245
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LITTLE ROCK NINE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL ACT
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July 10, 1998.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. D'Amato, from the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1283]
The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
(``Committee'') to which was referred the bill (S. 1283) to
provide for the award of congressional gold medals to Jean
Brown Trickey, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Melba Patillo Beals,
Terrence Roberts, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Thelma Mothershed Wair,
Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, and Jefferson Thomas,
collectively known as the ``Little Rock Nine'' and for other
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
with an amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do
pass.
Introduction
On June 26, 1998, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs met in legislative session and marked up and
ordered to be reported S. 1283, a bill to provide for the award
of congressional gold medals to each of the ``Little Rock
Nine,'' to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the integration
of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and for other
purposes, with one amendment. The Committee's action was taken
by voice vote.
History of the Legislation
The Little Rock Nine congressional gold medal bill, S.
1283, was introduced on October 9, 1997 by Senators Bumpers,
Moseley-Braun and Hutchinson. The legislation is identical to
H.R. 2560, the Little Rock Nine congressional gold medal bill.
S. 1283 has two purposes: first it authorizes the President, on
behalf of Congress to present the medals to each of the Little
Rock Nine; and second, it authorizes the Secretary of the
Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the gold
medals to recoup the production cost of the nine gold medals.
There were no Committee hearings held on S. 1283. At the
Committee mark up on June 26, 1998, the Committee adopted one
amendment to S. 1283 to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury
to make available for sale to the public, all inventory in
stock as of, and no later than July 1, 1998, of the Jackie
Robinson Commemorative Coin program.
Purpose and Summary
The bill reported by the Committee would authorize the
President to present nine congressional gold medals, one to
each of the group known as the ``Little Rock Nine,'' in
commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the integration of
Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The bill also
authorizes the appropriate amount of funds that may be
necessary to carry out the purpose of the bill. Furthermore,
the bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and
sell duplicates of each medal in bronze at a price sufficient
to cover the cost of production of the gold medals.
The Committee recognizes that the primary purpose of this
bill is to commemorate the bravery and pioneering spirit of
these nine individuals from Little Rock, Arkansas. The
Committee also recognizes the primary purpose of the amendment
to this bill is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jackie
Robinson breaking the color barrier in professional sports
through the continued issuance of gold and silver coins from
the Jackie Robinson Commemorative Coin program collection.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Little Rock Nine Congressional Gold
Medal Bill
Section 1. Findings
Section 1 provides six findings as follows: Jean Brown
Trickey, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Melba Patillo Beals, Terrence
Roberts, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Thelma Mothershed Wair, Ernest
Green, Elizabeth Eckford, and Jefferson Thomas, collectively
known as the ``Little Rock Nine,'' voluntarily subjected
themselves to racial bigotry; that the Little Rock Nine are
civil rights pioneers whose selfless acts considerably advanced
the civil rights debate in this country; that the Little Rock
Nine risked their lives during the integration of Central High
School in Little Rock, Arkansas; that the Little Rock Nine
sacrificed their innocence to protect the American principle--
``one nation, under God, indivisible''; that the Little Rock
Nine have left their mark on America's history; and that the
Little Rock Nine have continued to work toward equality for all
Americans.
Section 2. Congressional gold medals
Section 2 provides that the President is authorized to
present, on behalf of Congress, gold medals of appropriate
design to each of the Little Rock Nine in recognition of their
selfless heroism. This section authorizes the Secretary of the
Treasury to strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices,
and inscriptions for each recipient. Appropriation of the sum
necessary to carry out this section is to be authorized as of
the date of introduction of this Act.
Section 3. Duplicate medals
Section 3 provides that the Secretary of the Treasury may
strike bronze duplicates of the gold medals in this Act and
sell these duplicates at a price sufficient to cover the cost
of production of the bronze duplicates and the gold medals. The
proceeds from the sale of the bronze duplicates shall be used
to reimburse the appropriation authorized in Section 2.
Section 4. National medals
The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals
for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
Section 5. Commemorative coins
Section 5 amends Section 101(7)(D) of the United States
Commemorative Coin Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-329, 110 Stat.
4009). In this section, the Secretary of the Treasury may not
mint coins in this program after July 1, 1998 and may not issue
coins minted in this program after December 31, 1998. The
effective date of this section is on the date of enactment of
the United States Commemorative Coin Act of 1996.
Cost of the Legislation (CBO Report)
Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, and section 403 of the Congressional
Budget Impoundment and Control Act, require that each committee
report on a bill contain a statement estimating the cost of the
proposed legislation, which was prepared by the Congressional
Budget Office. This statement has been requested from the
Congressional Budget Office, but was not available at the date
of filing this report. When the information is made available
to the Committee, it will be placed in the Congressional
Record.
Changes in Existing Law (Cordon Rule)
In the opinion of the Committee, it is necessary to
dispense with the requirements of paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of
the Standing Rules of the Senate in order to expedite the
business of the Senate.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In the opinion of the Committee, this legislation will have
no regulatory impact.