[106th Congress Public Law 225]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ225.106]


[[Page 114 STAT. 457]]

Public Law 106-225
106th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To authorize the President to award posthumously a gold medal on behalf 
   of the Congress to Charles M. Schulz in recognition of his lasting 
   artistic contributions to the Nation and the world, and for other 
            purposes. <<NOTE: June 20, 2000 -  [H.R. 3642]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: 31 USC 5111 
note.>> assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Charles M. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in St. 
        Paul, Minnesota, the son of Carl and Dena Schulz.
            (2) Charles M. Schulz served his country in World War II, 
        working his way up from infantryman to staff sergeant and 
        eventually leading a machine gun squad. He kept morale high by 
        decorating fellow soldiers' letters home with cartoons of 
        barracks life.
            (3) After returning from the war, Charles M. Schulz returned 
        to his love for illustration, and took a job with ``Timeless 
        Topix''. He also took a second job as an art instructor. 
        Eventually, his hard work paid off when the Saturday Evening 
        Post began purchasing a number of his single comic panels.
            (4) It was in his first weekly comic strip, ``L'il Folks'', 
        that Charlie Brown was born. That comic strip, which was 
        eventually renamed ``Peanuts'', became the sole focus of Charles 
        M. Schulz's career.
            (5) Charles M. Schulz drew every frame of the ``Peanuts'' 
        strip, which ran 7 days a week, since it was created in October 
        1950. This is rare dedication in the field of comic 
        illustration.
            (6) The ``Peanuts'' comic strip appeared in 2,600 newspapers 
        around the world daily until January 3, 2000, and on Sundays 
        until February 13, 2000, and reached approximately 335,000,000 
        readers every day in 20 different languages, making Charles M. 
        Schulz the most successful comic illustrator in the world.
            (7) Charles M. Schulz's television special, ``A Charlie 
        Brown Christmas'', has run for 34 consecutive years. In all, 
        more than 60 animated specials have been created based on 
        ``Peanuts'' characters. Four feature films, 1,400 books, and a 
        hit Broadway musical about the ``Peanuts'' characters have also 
        been produced.
            (8) Charles M. Schulz was a leader in the field of comic 
        illustration and in his community. He paved the way for other 
        artists in this field over the last 50 years and continues to be 
        praised for his outstanding achievements.
            (9) Charles M. Schulz gave back to his community in many 
        ways, including owning and operating Redwood Empire Ice Arena in 
        Santa Rosa, California. The arena has become a favorite 
        gathering spot for people of all ages. Charles M. Schulz also 
        financed a yearly ice show that drew crowds from all over the 
        San Francisco Bay Area.
            (10) Charles M. Schulz gave the Nation a unique sense of 
        optimism, purpose, and pride. Whether through the Great

[[Page 114 STAT. 458]]

        Pumpkin Patch, the Kite Eating Tree, Lucy's Psychiatric Help 
        Stand, or Snoopy's adventures with the Red Baron, ``Peanuts'' 
        embodied human vulnerabilities, emotions, and potential.
            (11) Charles M. Schulz's lifetime of work linked generations 
        of Americans and became a part of the fabric of our national 
        culture.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Award Authorized.--The President is authorized to award 
posthumously, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate 
design to Charles M. Schulz in recognition of his lasting artistic 
contributions to the Nation and the world.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the award 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.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary 
may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under 
section 2 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, 
including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, 
and the cost of the gold medal.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of 
chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 5. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE.

    (a) Authorization.--There is authorized to be charged against the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed 
$30,000 to pay for the cost of the medals authorized by this Act.
    (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate 
bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States 
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

    Approved June 20, 2000.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3642:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: Vol. 146 (2000):
                                      
                                    Feb. 15, considered and passed 
                                        House.
                                    May 2, considered and passed Senate, 
                                        amended.
                                    June 6, House concurred in Senate 
                                        amendments.

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