[106th Congress Public Law 250]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
<DOC>
[DOCID: f:publ250.106]
[[Page 114 STAT. 622]]
Public Law 106-250
106th Congress
An Act
To authorize a gold medal to be presented on behalf of the Congress to
Pope John Paul II in recognition of his many and enduring contributions
to peace and religious understanding, and for other
purposes. <<NOTE: July 27, 2000 - [H.R. 3544]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: Pope John Paul II
Congressional Gold Medal Act. 31 USC 5111 note.>> assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pope John Paul II Congressional Gold
Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that Pope John Paul II--
(1) is the spiritual leader of more than one billion
Catholic Christians around the world and millions of Catholic
Christians in America and has led the Catholic Church into its
third millennium;
(2) is recognized in the United States and abroad as a
preeminent moral authority;
(3) has dedicated his Pontificate to the freedom and dignity
of every individual human being and tirelessly traveled to the
far reaches of the globe as an exemplar of faith;
(4) has brought hope to millions of people all over the
world oppressed by poverty, hunger, illness, and despair;
(5) transcending temporal politics, has used his moral
authority to hasten the fall of godless totalitarian regimes,
symbolized in the collapse of the Berlin wall;
(6) has promoted the inner peace of man as well as peace
among mankind through his faith-inspired defense of justice; and
(7) has thrown open the doors of the Catholic Church,
reconciling differences within Christendom as well as reaching
out to the world's other great religions.
SEC. 3. 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 Pope John Paul II in
recognition of his many and enduring contributions to peace and
religious understanding.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose 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
[[Page 114 STAT. 623]]
with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by
the Secretary.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations as the
Secretary may prescribe, and at a price sufficient to cover the costs
thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead
expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for
purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to
be charged against the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund an amount not
to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal authorized by this
Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sales of duplicate
bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the Numismatic
Public Enterprise Fund.
Approved July 27, 2000.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3544:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000):
May 23, considered and passed House.
July 13, considered and passed Senate.
<all>