    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 124, 111th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 111-253
    111th Congress

    An Act

    To award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Muhammad Yunus, in
    recognition of his contributions to the fight against global
    poverty. <>

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
    United States of America in Congress assembled, <>
    SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
    (1) Dr. Muhammad Yunus is recognized in the United States
    and throughout the world as a leading figure in the fight
    against poverty and the effort to promote economic and social
    change;
    (2) Muhammad Yunus is the recognized developer of the
    concept of microcredit, and Grameen Bank, which he founded, has
    created a model of lending that has been emulated across the
    globe;
    (3) Muhammad Yunus launched this global movement to create
    economic and social development from below, beginning in 1976,
    with a loan of $27 from his own pocket to 42 crafts persons in a
    small village in Bangladesh;
    (4) Muhammad Yunus has demonstrated the life-changing
    potential of extending very small loans (at competitive interest
    rates) to the very poor and the economic feasibility of
    microcredit and other microfinance and microenterprise practices
    and services;
    (5) Dr. Yunus's work has had a particularly strong impact on
    improving the economic prospects of women, and on their
    families, as over 95 percent of microcredit borrowers are women;
    (6) Dr. Yunus has pioneered a movement with the potential to
    assist a significant number of the more than 1,400,000,000
    people, mostly women and children, who live on less than $1.25 a
    day, and the 2,600,000,000 people who live on less than $2 a
    day, and which has already reached 155,000,000, by one estimate;
    (7) there are now an estimated 24,000,000 microenterprises
    in the United States accounting for approximately 18 percent of
    private (nonfarm) employment and 87 percent of all business in
    the United States, and the Small Business Administration has
    made over $318,000,000 in microloans to entrepreneurs since
    1992;
    (8) Dr. Yunus, along with the Grameen Bank, was awarded the
    Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts to promote economic
    and social opportunity and out of recognition that lasting peace
    cannot be achieved unless large population groups find the
    means, such as microcredit, to break out of poverty; and

    [[Page 2636]]

    (9) the microcredit ideas developed and put into practice by
    Muhammad Yunus, along with other bold initiatives, can make a
    historical breakthrough in the fight against poverty.
    SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
    Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make
    appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the
    Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to Dr. Muhammad Yunus,
    in recognition of his many enduring contributions to the fight against
    global poverty.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred
    to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this
    Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with
    suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the
    Secretary.
    SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
    medal struck pursuant to section 2, under such regulations as the
    Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost
    thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
    overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
    SEC. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this Act are
    national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States
    Code.
    (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of
    title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be
    considered to be numismatic items.
    SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

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

    Approved October 5, 2010.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 846:
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    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
    Vol. 155 (2009):
    Oct. 13, considered and passed
    Senate.
    Vol. 156 (2010):
    Sept. 23, considered and passed
    House.