What This Bill Does
This bill requires the Secretary of the Treasury to create and sell special coins to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. Money from surcharges (extra fees) added to coin sales goes to the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training to support the collection and sharing of diplomatic history.
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Who It Affects
- The Secretary of the Treasury (the head of the federal agency that manages money and coin production)
- The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (a nonprofit organization)
- People who buy commemorative coins (coins made for special occasions)
- The United States Treasury
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Key Provisions
- The Secretary must mint no more than 50,000 gold coins worth $5, 400,000 silver coins worth $1, and 750,000 half-dollar coins made of copper and nickel clad (layered), with specific weights and sizes for each type (Sec. 3)
- Each coin must include the year "2025" and the inscriptions "Liberty," "In God We Trust," "United States of America," and "E Pluribus Unum" (Sec. 4)
- The Secretary can sell these coins only during a one-year period starting January 1, 2025 (Sec. 5)
- Every coin sale includes a surcharge: $35 for each $5 gold coin, $10 for each $1 silver coin, and $5 for each half-dollar coin (Sec. 7)
- All surcharge money collected must go to the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training to support collecting, preserving and sharing diplomatic history (Sec. 7)
- The Treasury cannot lose money on this project; the Secretary must ensure the cost of making and selling the coins gets paid back from coin sales (Sec. 8)
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What Changes
If this bill becomes law, special commemorative coins honoring the Foreign Service will be created and sold during 2025. The surcharge money from these sales will fund the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training's work preserving diplomatic history and experiences of American diplomats.
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Important Definitions
- **Numismatic items**: Objects of value to coin and medal collectors, not intended for everyday spending (Sec. 3)
- **Legal tender**: Money that people and businesses must accept as payment (Sec. 3)
- **Proof quality**: Specially made coins with a polished finish meant for collectors (Sec. 5)
- **Uncirculated quality**: Coins that have never been used in everyday transactions (Sec. 5)
- **Surcharge**: An extra fee added to the price above the coin's actual value (Sec. 7)
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 789
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint a coin in recognition
of the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service and
its contribution to United States diplomacy.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 14, 2023
Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself and Mr. SULLIVAN) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint a coin
in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the United
States Foreign Service and its contribution to United
States diplomacy.
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 ‘‘United States Foreign
4
Service Commemorative Coin Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
6
Congress finds the following:
7
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(1) On September 15, 1789, the 1st United
1
States Congress passed an Act creating the Depart-
2
ment of State and appointing duties to it, including
3
the keeping of the Great Seal of the United States.
4
Initially there were 2 services devoted to diplomatic
5
and to consular activity. The Diplomatic Service pro-
6
vided ambassadors and staff for embassies overseas,
7
while the Consular Service provided consuls to assist
8
United States sailors and promote international
9
trade and commerce.
10
(2) After World War I ended, Congress com-
11
plemented the earlier efforts for Civil Service reform,
12
interrupted by World War I, to create a career, pro-
13
fessional diplomatic service. Representative John
14
Jacob Rogers of Massachusetts introduced his first
15
Foreign Service reform bill in 1919, followed by sev-
16
eral others. He was strongly supported in his efforts
17
by Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes. The
18
legislation provided improvements in the Diplomatic
19
and Consular Services to attract highly qualified
20
candidates ‘‘by keen competition’’. The objective was
21
to create ‘‘a real diplomatic career, open to any
22
American citizen who has the necessary qualifica-
23
tions’’.
24
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(3) The Act entitled ‘‘An Act for the reorga-
1
nization and improvement of the Foreign Service of
2
the United States, and for other purposes’’, ap-
3
proved May 24, 1924 (43 Stat. 140, chapter 182)
4
(commonly known as the ‘‘Rogers Act of 1924’’),
5
unified the Diplomatic and Consular Services in one
6
career organization based on competitive examina-
7
tion and merit promotion. It was named the ‘‘For-
8
eign Service of the United States of America’’.
9
President Calvin Coolidge signed the bill into law on
10
May 24, 1924. The first class of new Foreign Serv-
11
ice officers was held in 1925.
12
(4) The Foreign Service of the United States is
13
the primary United States Federal Government pro-
14
fessional cadre of generalists and specialists charged
15
with the conduct of United States diplomacy under
16
the aegis of the United States Department of State.
17
It consists of more than 15,000 career professionals
18
carrying out the foreign policy of the United States
19
and aiding United States citizens abroad.
20
(5) In 1946, after World War II, Congress
21
passed the Foreign Service Act of 1946 (60 Stat.
22
999, chapter 957) to update the 1924 Rogers Act.
23
(6) In 1980, the Congress again updated the
24
Rogers Act, passing the Foreign Service Act of 1980
25
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(22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.), to promote the foreign pol-
1
icy of the United States by strengthening and im-
2
proving the Foreign Service of the United States.
3
(7) Since the creation of the United States For-
4
eign Service, generations of Foreign Service mem-
5
bers and families have represented the United States
6
around the world, in peace and war. Over 320
7
names are inscribed in the memorial plaques erected
8
by the American Foreign Service Association and lo-
9
cated in the lobby of the Harry S. Truman Building,
10
the headquarters of the Department of State, to
11
honor ‘‘diplomatic and consular officers of the
12
United States who while on active duty lost their
13
lives under heroic or tragic circumstances’’.
14
(8) The Association for Diplomatic Studies and
15
Training is dedicated to capturing, preserving, and
16
sharing the experiences of United States diplomats.
17
The Association has created, managed, and main-
18
tained a Foreign Affairs Oral History program con-
19
sisting of more than 2,600 first-person oral histories
20
of United States diplomats to capture and share the
21
legacy and contributions of modern United States
22
diplomacy. The Association is a nongovernmental,
23
member-based, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization
24
housed on the campus of the George P. Shultz Na-
25
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•S 789 IS
tional Foreign Affairs Training Center and depend-
1
ent on funds from members, donations, contracts,
2
and grants to sustain its work.
3
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
4
(a) DENOMINATIONS.—In celebration of diplomacy
5
and in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the United
6
States Foreign Service, the Secretary of the Treasury
7
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall
8
mint and issue the following coins:
9
(1) $5 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 50,000 $5
10
coins, which shall—
11
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
12
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
13
(C) contain not less than 90 percent gold.
14
(2) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 400,000
15
$1 coins, which shall—
16
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
17
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
18
(C) contain not less than 90 percent silver.
19
(3) HALF-DOLLAR
CLAD
COINS.—Not more
20
than 750,000 half-dollar coins which shall—
21
(A) weigh 11.34 grams;
22
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
23
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(C) be minted to the specifications for half-
1
dollar coins contained in section 5112(b) of title
2
31, United States Code.
3
(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this
4
Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of
5
title 31, United States Code.
6
(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections
7
5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins
8
minted under this Act shall be considered to be numis-
9
matic items.
10
SEC. 4. DESIGNS OF COINS.
11
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—
12
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The designs of the coins
13
minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the im-
14
portance of diplomacy to the national interest of the
15
United States and of the creation of the United
16
States Foreign Service and its contributions to mod-
17
ern diplomacy in the United States.
18
(2) DESIGNATIONS
AND
INSCRIPTIONS.—On
19
each coin minted under this Act there shall be—
20
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
21
(B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2025’’; and
22
(C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’,
23
‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer-
24
ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’.
25
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(b) SELECTION.—The designs for the coins minted
1
under this Act shall be—
2
(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation
3
with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and
4
Training and the Commission of Fine Arts; and
5
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory
6
Committee.
7
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
8
(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this
9
Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
10
(b) PERIOD
FOR ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may
11
issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year
12
period beginning on January 1, 2025.
13
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
14
(a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act
15
shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum
16
of—
17
(1) the face value of the coins;
18
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with
19
respect to such coins; and
20
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins
21
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery,
22
overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).
23
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(b) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk
1
sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable
2
discount.
3
(c) PREPAID ORDERS.—
4
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept
5
prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act
6
before the issuance of such coins.
7
(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre-
8
paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea-
9
sonable discount.
10
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
11
(a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins issued under this
12
Act shall include a surcharge of—
13
(1) $35 per coin for the $5 coins;
14
(2) $10 per coin for the $1 coins; and
15
(3) $5 for the half dollar coins.
16
(b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of
17
title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by
18
the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act
19
shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Association
20
for Diplomatic Studies and Training to support the collec-
21
tion, curation, and sharing of diplomatic history in the
22
United States via oral history, books, social media, and
23
other means.
24
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(c) AUDITS.—The Association for Diplomatic Studies
1
and Training shall be subject to the audit requirements
2
of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with
3
regard to the amounts received under subsection (b).
4
(d) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a),
5
no surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance
6
under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as
7
of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin
8
would result in the number of commemorative coin pro-
9
grams issued during such year to exceed the annual 2
10
commemorative coin program issuance limitation under
11
section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in
12
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The Sec-
13
retary may issue guidance to carry out this subsection.
14
SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
15
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be nec-
16
essary to ensure that—
17
(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act
18
will not result in any net cost to the United States
19
Government; and
20
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges,
21
are disbursed to the recipient designated in section
22
7 until the total cost of designing and issuing all of
23
the coins authorized by this Act (including labor,
24
materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
25
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marketing, and shipping) is recovered by the United
1
States Treasury, consistent with sections 5112(m)
2
and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
3
Æ
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