United States Semiquincentennial Quarter Series Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6555 To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue certain circulating coins in recognition of the United States semiquincentennial, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 17, 2020 Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Sec- retary of the Treasury to mint and issue certain circu- lating coins in recognition of the United States semiquincentennial, 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 ‘‘United States 4 Semiquincentennial Quarter Series Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 The Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:12 Apr 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6555.IH H6555 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6555 IH (1) Circulating collectible coin programs are 1 very popular and generate significant revenue for the 2 United States Mint (referred to in this Act as the 3 ‘‘Mint’’) to continue as a self-sustaining enterprise 4 at no cost to the taxpayers. 5 (2) During the 50 State Quarters Program 6 (1999–2008), the Mint issued 34.2 billion quarter 7 dollars into circulation, with an average of 3.4 billion 8 quarter dollars annually, generating total circulating 9 and numismatic program revenue of $9.1 billion. 10 (3) The America the Beautiful Quarters Pro- 11 gram (2010–2021) has generated total program rev- 12 enue of $3.7 billion to date. 13 (4) Because the America the Beautiful Quar- 14 ters Program is scheduled to be discontinued in 15 2021, authorizing new circulating collectible coin 16 programs will contribute to the longevity and long- 17 term growth of the Mint, serve the public interest, 18 and deliver substantial revenue to the Mint and the 19 Department of the Treasury General Fund that oth- 20 erwise may not be realized. 21 (5) The United States Mint has completed ex- 22 tensive due diligence in evaluating previous circu- 23 lating collectible coin programs and evaluating the 24 likely success of future efforts. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:12 Apr 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6555.IH H6555 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6555 IH (6) July 4, 2026, will be the 250th anniversary 1 of the founding of the United States, with the sign- 2 ing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The 3 historic events preceding that anniversary— 4 (A) are of major significance in the devel- 5 opment of the national heritage of the United 6 States and its principles of individual liberty, 7 representative government, and the attainment 8 of equal and inalienable rights; and 9 (B) have had a profound influence 10 throughout the world. 11 (7) The 114th Congress established the United 12 States Semiquincentennial Commission to plan, de- 13 velop, and execute programs, projects, and activities 14 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the 15 United States. 16 SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF REDESIGNED CIRCULATING COINS 17 EMBLEMATIC OF THE UNITED STATES 18 SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL. 19 Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is 20 amended by adding at the end the following new sub- 21 section: 22 ‘‘(x) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF COINS EMBLEM- 23 ATIC OF THE UNITED STATES SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL.— 24 ‘‘(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING IN 2026.— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:12 Apr 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6555.IH H6555 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6555 IH ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.— 1 ‘‘(i) Notwithstanding the 4th, 5th, 2 and 6th sentences of subsection (d)(1), the 3 Secretary may change the design on any of 4 the coins authorized under this section and 5 minted for issuance during the one-year 6 period beginning January 1, 2026, in cele- 7 bration of the United States 8 semiquincentennial. 9 ‘‘(ii) Notwithstanding the 2nd and 10 3rd sentences of subsection (d)(1), the Sec- 11 retary may place the required inscriptions 12 on either the obverse or reverse sides of 13 the coins authorized for redesign under 14 this subsection. 15 ‘‘(B) QUARTER DOLLARS.—The Secretary 16 may issue quarter dollars in 2026 with up to 17 five different designs emblematic of the United 18 States semiquincentennial. One of the quarter 19 dollar designs must be emblematic of a woman’s 20 or women’s contribution to the birth of the Na- 21 tion or the Declaration of Independence or any 22 other monumental moments in American His- 23 tory. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:12 Apr 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6555.IH H6555 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 6555 IH ‘‘(C) DOLLARS.—The Secretary may, in 1 addition to the coins produced under sub- 2 sections (r) and (w), mint for issuance during 3 the one-year period beginning January 1, 2026, 4 $1 coins with designs emblematic of the United 5 States semiquincentennial. 6 ‘‘(D) DESIGNS AFTER END OF THE PRO- 7 GRAM.—Beginning in 2027, any coin redesigned 8 under this subsection shall revert to the imme- 9 diately previous designs. 10 ‘‘(E) REDESIGN DEFINITION.—A redesign 11 authorized under this subsection shall not con- 12 stitute a ‘change’ for purposes of subsection 13 (d)(2). 14 ‘‘(2) SELECTION OF DESIGNS.— 15 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each of the designs 16 authorized under this subsection shall be se- 17 lected by the Secretary after consultation with 18 the Commission of Fine Arts and review by the 19 Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. 20 ‘‘(B) DESIGN SELECTION PROCESS.—De- 21 signs shall be developed and selected in accord- 22 ance with the design selection process developed 23 by the Secretary in consultation with the 24 United States Semiquincentennial Commission 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:12 Apr 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6555.IH H6555 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 6555 IH and with recommendations from the general 1 public.’’. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:12 Apr 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6555.IH H6555 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS