National World War II Memorial Commemorative Coin Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4681 To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 15, 2019 Ms. KAPTUR (for herself, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. COSTA, Mrs. AXNE, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. SIRES, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. COX of California, Mrs. RODGERS of Wash- ington, Mr. LIPINSKI, and Mr. BALDERSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memo- rial in Washington, DC, and for other purposes. 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 ‘‘National World War 4 II Memorial Commemorative Coin Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 The Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4681 IH (1) The National World War II Memorial was 1 dedicated in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2004, and 2 is located on the east end of the Reflecting Pool on 3 the National Mall, opposite the Lincoln Memorial 4 and west of the Washington Monument. 5 (2) The dedication of the National World War 6 II Memorial was the culmination of a 17-year effort 7 that started when the Memorial was authorized by 8 an Act of Congress signed into law on May 25, 9 1993. Construction began September 4, 2001, after 10 several years of fundraising and public hearings. 11 (3) Opening to the public on April 29, 2004, 12 the World War II Memorial is the first national me- 13 morial dedicated to all who served during World 14 War II and acknowledges the commitment and 15 achievement of the entire Nation. 16 (4) The Memorial honors the 16,000,000 who 17 served in the Armed Forces of the United States 18 during World War II, the more than 400,000 who 19 died, and the millions who supported the war effort 20 from home. 21 (5) It is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, 22 and commitment of the American people to the com- 23 mon defense of the Nation and to the broader causes 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:33 Oct 22, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 4681 IH of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the 1 world. 2 (6) Today, the Memorial is a top destination for 3 millions of annual visitors from all over the country 4 and the world. For many young visitors, their visit 5 to the Memorial is a first glimpse to a grateful Na- 6 tion’s remembrance of the sacrifices made by the 7 World War II generation. 8 (7) For World War II veterans, the Memorial 9 is a special destination, a rendezvous point, and a 10 gathering place for reunions and commemoration 11 programs. 12 (8) The Friends of the National World War II 13 Memorial play a vital role in the preservation and 14 maintenance of the National World War II Memorial 15 as a treasure for the American people, while helping 16 to facilitate key commemorative and educational pro- 17 grams at the Memorial to pay tribute to America’s 18 ‘‘Greatest Generation’’ and their efforts to preserve 19 liberty for generations to come. 20 (9) The National World War II Memorial 21 stands as an important symbol of America’s national 22 unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and 23 power that flows when free people are at once united 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 4681 IH and bonded together in a common and just cause for 1 liberty. 2 SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 3 (a) DENOMINATIONS.—The Secretary of the Treas- 4 ury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 5 shall mint and issue the following coin: 6 (1) $5 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 50,000 $5 7 coins, which shall— 8 (A) weigh 8.359 grams; 9 (B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and 10 (C) contain not less than 90 percent gold. 11 (2) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 400,000 12 $1 coins, which shall— 13 (A) weigh 26.73 grams; 14 (B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 15 (C) contain not less than 90 percent silver. 16 (3) HALF-DOLLAR CLAD COINS.—Not more 17 than 750,000 half-dollar coins which shall— 18 (A) weigh 11.34 grams; 19 (B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and 20 (C) be minted to the specifications for half- 21 dollar coins contained in section 5112(b) of title 22 31, United States Code. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 4681 IH (b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this 1 Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of 2 title 31, United States Code. 3 (c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 4 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins 5 minted under this Act shall be considered to be numis- 6 matic items. 7 SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 8 (a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The design of the coins 10 minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the 11 National World War II Memorial and the service 12 and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians dur- 13 ing World War II. 14 (2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On 15 each coin minted under this Act there shall be— 16 (A) a designation of the value of the coin; 17 (B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2022’’; and 18 (C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’, 19 ‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer- 20 ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’. 21 (b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted 22 under this Act shall be— 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 4681 IH (1) selected by the Secretary after consultation 1 with the Commission of Fine Arts and the Friends 2 of the National World War II Memorial; and 3 (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory 4 Committee. 5 SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 6 (a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this 7 Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. 8 (b) PERIOD FOR ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may 9 issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year 10 period beginning on January 1, 2022. 11 SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 12 (a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act 13 shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum 14 of— 15 (1) the face value of the coins; 16 (2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with 17 respect to such coins; and 18 (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins 19 (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 20 overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping). 21 (b) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk 22 sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable 23 discount. 24 (c) PREPAID ORDERS.— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 4681 IH (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept 1 prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act 2 before the issuance of such coins. 3 (2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre- 4 paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea- 5 sonable discount. 6 SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins issued under this 8 Act shall include a surcharge of— 9 (1) $35 per coin for the $5 coin; 10 (2) $10 per coin for the $1 coin; and 11 (3) $5 per coin for the half-dollar coin. 12 (b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of 13 title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by 14 the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act 15 shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Friends 16 of the National World War II Memorial to support the 17 National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the 18 National World War II Memorial, and for educational and 19 commemorative programs. 20 (c) AUDITS.—The Friends of the National World 21 War II Memorial shall be subject to the audit require- 22 ments of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States 23 Code, with regard to the amounts received under sub- 24 section (b). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 4681 IH (d) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), 1 no surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance 2 under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as 3 of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin 4 would result in the number of commemorative coin pro- 5 grams issued during such year to exceed the annual 2 6 commemorative coin program issuance limitation under 7 section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in 8 effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The Sec- 9 retary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out 10 this subsection. 11 SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. 12 The Secretary shall take such actions as may be nec- 13 essary to ensure that— 14 (1) minting and issuing coins under this Act 15 will not result in any net cost to the United States 16 Government; and 17 (2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, 18 shall be disbursed to any recipient designated in sec- 19 tion 7 until the total cost of designing and issuing 20 all of the coins authorized by this Act (including 21 labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead ex- 22 penses, marketing, and shipping) is recovered by the 23 United States Treasury, consistent with sections 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 9 •HR 4681 IH 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States 1 Code. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4681.IH H4681 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS