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105th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1560
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 10, 1998
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of the bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Lewis and Clark Expedition
Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The expedition commanded by Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark, which came to be called ``The Corps of
Discovery'', was one of the most remarkable and productive
scientific and military exploring expeditions in all American
history.
(2) President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark the
mission to ``explore the Missouri River & such principal stream
of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of
the Pacific Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado, or
any other river may offer the most direct and practical water
communication across this continent for the purposes of
commerce''.
(3) The Expedition, in response to President Jefferson's
directive, greatly advanced our geographical knowledge of the
continent and prepared the way for the extension of the
American fur trade with American Indian tribes throughout the
land.
(4) President Jefferson directed the explorers to take note
of and carefully record the natural resources of the newly
acquired territory known as Louisiana, as well as diligently
report on the native inhabitants of the land.
(5) The Expedition departed St. Louis, Missouri, on May 14,
1804.
(6) The Expedition held its first meeting with American
Indians at Council Bluff near present-day Fort Calhoun,
Nebraska, in August 1804, spent its first winter at Fort
Mandan, North Dakota, crossed the Rocky Mountains by the mouth
of the Columbia River in mid-November of that year, and
wintered at Fort Clatsop, near the present-day city of Astoria,
Oregon.
(7) The Expedition returned to St. Louis, Missouri, on
September 23, 1806, after a 28-month journey covering 8,000
miles during which it traversed 11 future States: Illinois,
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.
(8) Accounts from the journals of Lewis and Clark and the
detailed maps that were prepared by the Expedition enhance
knowledge of the western continent and routes for commerce.
(9) The Expedition significantly enhanced amicable
relationships between the United States and the autonomous
American Indian nations, and the friendship and respect
fostered between American Indian tribes and the Expedition
represents the best of diplomacy and relationships between
divergent nations and cultures.
(10) The Lewis and Clark Expedition has been called the
most perfect expedition of its kind in the history of the world
and paved the way for the United States to become a great world
power.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--In commemoration of the bicentennial of the
Lewis and Clark expedition, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue--
(1) not more than 200,000 $1 coins, each of which shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent
copper; and
(2) not more than 200,000 half dollar coins, each of which
shall--
(A) weigh 12.50 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent
copper.
(b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this title shall be legal
tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of title 31,
United States Code, all coins minted under this title shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 4. SOURCES OF BULLION.
The Secretary shall obtain silver for minting coins under this
title only from stockpiles established under the Strategic and Critical
Materials Stock Piling Act.
SEC. 5. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
title shall be emblematic of the expedition of Lewis and Clark.
(2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this title there shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the years ``1804-1806''; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God
We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E
Pluribus Unum''.
(3) Obverse of coin.--The obverse of each coin minted under
this title shall bear the likeness of Thomas Jefferson,
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
(4) General design.--In designing this coin, the Secretary
shall also consider incorporating appropriate elements from the
Jefferson Peace and Friendship Medal which Lewis and Clark
presented to the Chiefs of the various Indian tribes they
encountered and shall consider recognizing Native American
culture.
(b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this title
shall be selected by the Secretary after consultation with the
Commission of Fine Arts and shall be reviewed by the Citizens
Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee.
SEC. 6. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this title 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
title.
(c) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted
under this title beginning on January 1, 2003.
(d) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins may be minted under
this title after December 31, 2003.
SEC. 7. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this title shall be sold by
the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in subsection (d) with respect
to such coins; and
(3) 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 title at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for the coins minted under this title before the issuance of
such coins.
(2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
(d) Surcharges.--All sales of coins minted under this title shall
include a surcharge of--
(1) $10 per coin for the $1 coin; and
(2) $7 per coin for the half dollar coin.
SEC. 8. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no provision
of law governing procurement or public contracts shall be applicable to
the procurement of goods and services necessary for carrying out this
title.
(b) Equal Employment Opportunity.--Subsection (a) shall not relieve
any person entering into a contract under the authority of this title
from complying with any law relating to equal employment opportunity.
SEC. 9. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, the proceeds from the surcharges received by the Secretary
from the sale of coins issued under this title shall be promptly paid
by the Secretary as follows:
(1) National lewis and clark bicentennial council.--\2/3\
to the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council, for
activities associated with commemorating the bicentennial of
the Expedition.
(2) National park service.--\1/3\ to the National Park
Service for activities associated with commemorating the
bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
(b) Audits.--Each organization that receives any payment from the
Secretary under this section shall be subject to the audit requirements
of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 10. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
(a) No Net Cost to the Government.--The Secretary shall take such
actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting and issuing coins
under this title will not result in any net cost to the United States
Government.
(b) Payment for Coins.--A coin shall not be issued under this title
unless the Secretary has received--
(1) full payment for the coin;
(2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to indemnify the
United States for full payment; or
(3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to the
Secretary from a depository institution whose deposits are
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the
National Credit Union Administration Board.
Passed the House of Representatives September 9, 1998.
Attest:
ROBIN H. CARLE,
Clerk.
Pages: 1 Other Popular 105th Congressional Bills Documents:
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