Federal

The original legislation awarding a historic Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Africans and their descendants enslaved within our country from August 20, 1619, to December 6, 1865

Source: Congress.gov · 1,774 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill creates a Congressional Gold Medal (a special honor given by Congress) to recognize collectively all Africans and their descendants who were enslaved in the United States from August 20, 1619, to December 6, 1865. The medal honors their contributions to building America's economy. After the award ceremony, the medal will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture for the public to see. ##

Who It Affects

- The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate (those responsible for presenting the medal) - The Secretary of the Treasury (responsible for designing and creating the medal) - The Smithsonian Institution (will receive and display the medal) - The United States Mint (may sell duplicate bronze versions of the medal) ##

Key Provisions

- The Speaker of the House and President pro tempore of the Senate must arrange to award a gold medal collectively to enslaved Africans and their descendants in recognition of their contributions to America's economic foundation. (Sec. 3(a)) - The Secretary of the Treasury will design the medal with appropriate symbols, devices, and inscriptions. (Sec. 3(b)) - After the award, the gold medal must be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. (Sec. 3(c)) - The Secretary of the Treasury may create and sell bronze copies of the medal at a price that covers the costs of making them. (Sec. 4(a)) - Money from selling the bronze copies goes into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund (a special government account for the Mint's operations). (Sec. 4(b)) ##

What Changes

If this bill becomes law, the federal government will officially create and award a Congressional Gold Medal recognizing enslaved people's role in building America's economy. The gold medal will become a national medal under federal law. The Smithsonian Institution will acquire and publicly display this medal for research and education purposes. The government will be authorized to produce and sell bronze duplicate medals to the public. ##

Important Definitions

None defined in the bill text. ##

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1244 To posthumously award a historic Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Africans and their descendants enslaved within our country from August 20, 1619, to December 6, 1865. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 28, 2023 Mr. GREEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. OCASIO- CORTEZ, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. CARSON, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. PRESSLEY, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. KEATING, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. BOYLE of Penn- sylvania, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. ALLRED, Ms. BUSH, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. SOTO, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. TRONE, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. ROSS, Mr. KIL- MER, Ms. TITUS, Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. RUP- PERSBERGER, Mr. EVANS, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. IVEY, Ms. MENG, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. CASAR, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. OMAR, Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. MOSKOWITZ, Ms. CROCK- ETT, Mr. NADLER, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. GOMEZ, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. BROWNLEY, Ms. PORTER, Mr. MFUME, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mrs. FLETCHER, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mrs. TRAHAN, Mrs. MCBATH, Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania, Mr. VEASEY, Ms. STRICK- LAND, Mr. POCAN, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. WATERS, Mr. FROST, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. TONKO, Mr. AGUILAR, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. TORRES of New York, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. JACOBS, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. BROWN, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. COHEN, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. LIEU, Ms. SEWELL, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. CARTER of Lou- isiana, Mrs. FOUSHEE, Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas, and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Commit- tees on House Administration, and the Budget, for a period to be subse- VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1244 IH quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To posthumously award a historic Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Africans and their descendants enslaved within our country from August 20, 1619, to December 6, 1865. 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 ‘‘The original legislation 4 awarding a historic Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, 5 to Africans and their descendants enslaved within our 6 country from August 20, 1619, to December 6, 1865’’. 7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 8 Congress finds the following: 9 (1) Human beings were systematically abducted 10 from the continent of Africa and placed against their 11 will onto ships that would cross the Atlantic Ocean. 12 (2) These persons were chained within the 13 holds of ships in horrendous conditions for the dura- 14 tion of the transatlantic journey, which lasted up to 15 six months. 16 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1244 IH (3) Upon arrival in North America, they were 1 forced into labor among the English and European 2 colonies that would later become the United States. 3 (4) Their enslavement was concentrated on 4 farms and plantations that produced crops such as 5 cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane. 6 (5) The practice of slavery continued up to and 7 past the eventual American Revolution against Eng- 8 land and the founding of the United States of Amer- 9 ica. 10 (6) In the ensuing decades, slavery persisted 11 primarily in States where the economy was based 12 significantly on farming. 13 (7) The treatment of enslaved people continued 14 to be horrendous in nature, including exploitation, 15 family separation, rape, torture, and degradation, 16 among other cruelties. 17 (8) Slave labor was essential to the functioning 18 of many farms and plantations and therefore was es- 19 sential to the growth of the United States economy 20 as a whole. 21 (9) Slave labor was used to build notable build- 22 ings and monuments in the United States, including 23 the United States Capitol Building, the White 24 House, the Washington Monument, Mount Vernon, 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1244 IH which was the home of George Washington, and 1 Monticello, which was the home of Thomas Jeffer- 2 son. 3 (10) The profits from and involvement of slave 4 labor were also essential to the construction of the 5 Smithsonian Institution, Wall Street, Harvard Uni- 6 versity, Georgetown University, and Fort Sumter. 7 (11) It has been estimated that the total eco- 8 nomic value of slave labor is between $5.9 trillion 9 and $14.2 trillion in 2009 dollars. 10 (12) The United States became increasingly di- 11 vided between slaveholding and non-slaveholding 12 States and territories, including as to whether slav- 13 ery should be expanded to new States and territories 14 or abolished altogether. 15 (13) The secession of States from the United 16 States began on December 20, 1860, and led to the 17 formation of the Confederate States of America on 18 February 4, 1861. 19 (14) The American Civil War began on April 20 12, 1861, with the attack on Fort Sumter by Con- 21 federate forces. 22 (15) On January 1, 1863, President Abraham 23 Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation de- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 1244 IH claring that ‘‘all persons held as slaves’’ in Confed- 1 erate States ‘‘henceforward shall be free’’. 2 (16) After four years of grueling battle and 3 conflict, the Civil War concluded with the surrender 4 of the commander of the Confederate forces on April 5 9, 1865, although fighting continued until November 6 6, 1865, and the Civil War was proclaimed to be 7 over by President Andrew Johnson on August 20, 8 1866. 9 (17) The 13th Amendment to the United States 10 Constitution abolishing slavery passed the Congress 11 on January 31, 1865, and was ratified by the re- 12 quired number of States on December 6, 1865. 13 (18) The text of the 13th Amendment states 14 that, ‘‘Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, ex- 15 cept as a punishment for crime whereof the party 16 shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the 17 United States, or any place subject to their jurisdic- 18 tion.’’. 19 (19) The use of slave labor over hundreds of 20 years resulted in immense suffering and deprivation 21 among the people who fell victim to these abhorrent 22 practices. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 1244 IH (20) At the same time, the extensive, long-term 1 use of unpaid labor advantaged the United States 2 economy immeasurably. 3 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 4 (a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 5 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 6 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 7 award, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of ap- 8 propriate design dedicated to the enslaved persons collec- 9 tively in recognition of their service as the greatest con- 10 tributors to the foundation of America’s economic great- 11 ness. 12 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 13 award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 14 Treasury shall strike the gold medal with suitable em- 15 blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 16 Secretary. 17 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.—Following the 18 award of the gold medal described in subsection (a), the 19 gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, 20 where it will be displayed at the National Museum of Afri- 21 can American History & Culture and made available for 22 research. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 1244 IH SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 1 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may strike and sell 2 duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under sec- 3 tion 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the bronze 4 medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 5 and overhead expenses. 6 (b) PROCEEDS OF SALES.—The amounts received 7 from the sale of duplicate medals under subsection (a) 8 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enter- 9 prise Fund. 10 (c) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is 11 authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 12 Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be nec- 13 essary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under 14 this Act. 15 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 16 The gold medal struck pursuant to this Act is a na- 17 tional medal for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United 18 States Code. 19 SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 20 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 21 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 22 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 23 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 24 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 25 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 1244 IH vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 1 vote on passage. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Mar 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1244.IH H1244 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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