What This Bill Does
This bill grants a Congressional Gold Medal (a medal given by Congress to honor exceptional achievements) to Shirley Chisholm after her death. The medal recognizes her as the first African-American woman elected to Congress and her campaign to become the first African American nominated by a major political party for President. The bill also allows the government to make and sell bronze copies of the medal.
Who It Affects
The Smithsonian Institution (the national museum system) will receive and display the gold medal. The Secretary of the Treasury (the government official who oversees the U.S. Mint, which makes coins and medals) will design and create the medal. The public can purchase duplicate bronze medals.
Key Provisions
* The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate (the official who leads the Senate when the Vice President is absent) must arrange for the gold medal to be presented after Shirley Chisholm's death, recognizing her activism, independence, political achievements, and campaign for the presidency (Sec. 3(a)).
* The Secretary of the Treasury will design a gold medal that includes Shirley Chisholm's image and name (Sec. 3(b)).
* After presentation, the gold medal goes to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research, and Congress expresses its desire that the Smithsonian display it at other locations and events related to Shirley Chisholm (Sec. 3(c)).
* The Secretary may make and sell bronze duplicate medals for a price that covers all production costs (Sec. 4).
* Money from selling duplicate medals goes into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund (a financial account for the U.S. Mint) (Sec. 6(b)).
What Changes
Shirley Chisholm becomes the first African-American woman to receive a Congressional Gold Medal. The Smithsonian Institution receives the original gold medal for public display. Bronze duplicate medals become available for purchase by the public.
Important Definitions
The bill does not provide explicit definitions of any terms.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1088
To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Shirley Chisholm.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 17, 2023
Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. JEFFRIES, Ms. WATERS, Ms. CLARKE
of New York, Ms. NORTON, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. HIGGINS
of New York, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms.
UNDERWOOD, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. DEAN
of Pennsylvania, Mr.
CLEAVER, Mr. TRONE, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. GARAMENDI, Ms. KELLY of Il-
linois, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr.
THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. EVANS, Ms. JACOBS, Mrs. LEE of Nevada,
Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. MFUME, Mr. BEYER, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. TITUS, Mr.
RUIZ, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. KILMER, Mrs. WAT-
SON COLEMAN, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CARSON, Mr.
COSTA, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. BROWN, Mrs. CHERFILUS-
MCCORMICK, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. TRAHAN, Mr. LARSEN of Wash-
ington, Mr. TONKO, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. LOIS
FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. BUSH, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Mrs. HAYES,
Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. ADAMS, Mrs. MCBATH, Ms. ROSS, Ms.
JAYAPAL, Ms. OMAR, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. SCOTT of
Virginia, Ms. CROCKETT, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. IVEY, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr.
MULLIN, Mr. BOWMAN, Mr. POCAN, Mr. THANEDAR, Ms. MENG, Ms.
CASTOR of Florida, Mr. ALLRED, Ms. BALINT, Ms. SHERRILL, Mr.
SHERMAN, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. BERA, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Ms. SEWELL,
Ms. DELBENE, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DAVIS of
Illinois, Mr. COHEN, Mr. LIEU, Mr. PANETTA, Ms. STRICKLAND, Ms.
PRESSLEY, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. TORRES of
New York, and Mr. FOSTER) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the
Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
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•HR 1088 IH
A BILL
To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to
Shirley Chisholm.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Shirley Chisholm Con-
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gressional Gold Medal Act’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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The Congress finds as follows:
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(1) In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first
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African-American woman elected to Congress where
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she served until 1982.
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(2) Shirley Chisholm inspired and led the
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march of political achievement by African Americans
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and women in the three decades since she ran for
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the Presidency of the United States.
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(3) Her election to Congress and her candidacy
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for the Presidency raised the profile and aspirations
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of all African Americans and women in the field of
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politics.
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(4) Shirley Chisholm was recognized for her ac-
19
tivism, independence, and groundbreaking achieve-
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ments in politics during and after the civil rights
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era.
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•HR 1088 IH
(5) Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn,
1
New York, on November 30, 1924, attended Brook-
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lyn College, and earned a master’s degree from Co-
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lumbia University.
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(6) Shirley Chisholm worked in education and
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social services before being elected to the New York
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State Assembly in 1964.
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(7) Shirley Chisholm established the Unity
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Democratic Club in 1960, which played a significant
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role in rallying Black and Hispanic voters in New
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York City.
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(8) In 1969, Shirley Chisholm began her service
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in the 91st Congress, representing Brooklyn’s 12th
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Congressional District in the United States House of
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Representatives.
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(9) During her service in the House of Rep-
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resentatives, Shirley Chisholm promoted the employ-
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ment of women in Congress and was vocal in her
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support of civil rights, women’s rights, and the poor,
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while fervently opposing the Vietnam War.
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(10) In 1972, Shirley Chisholm was the first
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African American to seek the nomination of a major
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party for President of the United States.
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(11) Shirley Chisholm was a co-founder of the
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National Organization for Women.
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•HR 1088 IH
(12) A historic figure in American political his-
1
tory, Shirley Chisholm died at the age of 80 in Or-
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mond Beach, Florida, on New Year’s Day 2005.
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SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
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(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of
5
the House of Representatives and the President pro tem-
6
pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements
7
for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of the Con-
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gress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemo-
9
ration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism,
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independence, and groundbreaking achievements in poli-
11
tics, her election as the first African-American woman in
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the Congress, and her campaign to be the first African
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American to gain the nomination of a major political party
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for President of the United States.
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(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the
16
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary
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of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec-
18
retary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems,
19
devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec-
20
retary. The design shall bear an image of, and inscription
21
of the name of, Shirley Chisholm.
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(c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the
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gold medal referred to in subsection (a), the gold
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•HR 1088 IH
medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution,
1
where it will be displayed as appropriate and made
2
available for research.
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(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of
4
Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should
5
make the gold medal received under this Act avail-
6
able for display elsewhere, particularly at other loca-
7
tions and events associated with Shirley Chisholm.
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SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
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The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in
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bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3, at
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a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor,
12
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
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SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
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(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu-
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ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter
16
51 of title 31, United States Code.
17
(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section
18
5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck
19
under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
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SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF
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SALE.
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(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is
23
authorized to be charged against the United States Mint
24
Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be nec-
25
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•HR 1088 IH
essary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under
1
this Act.
2
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the
3
sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section
4
4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public
5
Enterprise Fund.
6
Æ
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