[109th Congress Public Law 146]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[DOCID: f:publ146.109]
[[Page 2675]]
LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DESEGREGATION 50TH ANNIVERSARY
COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
[[Page 119 STAT. 2676]]
Public Law 109-146
109th Congress
An Act
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of the Little Rock Central
High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and for other
purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 22, 2005 - [H.R. 358]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Little Rock
Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin
Act. 31 USC 5112 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Little Rock Central High School
Desegregation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) September 2007, marks the 50th anniversary of the
desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock,
Arkansas.
(2) In 1957, Little Rock Central High was the site of the
first major national test for the implementation of the historic
decision of the United States Supreme Court in Brown, et al. v.
Board of Education of Topeka, et al., 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
(3) The courage of the ``Little Rock Nine'' (Ernest Green,
Elizabeth Eckford, Melba Pattillo, Jefferson Thomas, Carlotta
Walls, Terrence Roberts, Gloria Ray, Thelma Mothershed, and
Minnijean Brown) who stood in the face of violence, was
influential to the Civil Rights movement and changed American
history by providing an example on which to build greater
equality.
(4) The desegregation of Little Rock Central High by the 9
African American students was recognized by Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. as such a significant event in the struggle for civil
rights that in May 1958, he attended the graduation of the first
African American from Little Rock Central High School.
(5) A commemorative coin will bring national and
international attention to the lasting legacy of this important
event.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereinafter in
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more
than 500,000 $1 coins each of which shall--
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
[[Page 119 STAT. 2677]]
(b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be legal
tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5136 of title 31,
United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered
to be numismatic items.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--The design of the coins minted under this
Act shall be emblematic of the desegregation of the Little Rock Central
High School and its contribution to civil rights in America.
(b) Designation and Inscriptions.--On each coin minted under this
Act there shall be--
(1) a designation of the value of the coin;
(2) an inscription of the year ``2007''; and
(3) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We
Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus Unum''.
(c) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this Act shall
be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the
Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee
established under section 5135 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued
in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted
under this Act beginning January 1, 2007, except that the Secretary may
initiate sales of such coins, without issuance, before such date.
(c) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins shall be minted
under this Act after December 31, 2007.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price
equal to the sum of the face value of the coins, the surcharge required
under section 7(a) for the coins, and the cost of designing and issuing
such coins (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead
expenses, and marketing).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins
issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders at a Discount.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of such
coins.
(2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) Surcharge Required.--All sales shall include a surcharge of $10
per coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, and subsection (d), all surcharges which are received by
the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be
promptly paid by the Secretary to the Secretary of the
[[Page 119 STAT. 2678]]
Interior for the protection, preservation, and interpretation of
resources and stories associated with Little Rock Central High School
National Historic Site, including the following:
(1) Site improvements at Little Rock Central High School
National Historic Site.
(2) Development of interpretive and education programs and
historic preservation projects.
(3) Establishment of cooperative agreements to preserve or
restore the historic character of the Park Street and Daisy L.
Gatson Bates Drive corridors adjacent to the site.
(c) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge may be
included with respect to the issuance under this Act of any coin during
a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, the issuance of
such coin would result in the number of commemorative coin programs
issued during such year to exceed the annual 2 commemorative coin
program issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United
States Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The
Secretary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out this
subsection.
(d) Creditable Funds.--Notwithstanding any other provision of the
law and recognizing the unique partnership nature of the Department of
the Interior and the Little Rock School District at the Little Rock
Central High School National Historic Site and the significant
contributions made by the Little Rock School District to preserve and
maintain the historic character of the high school, any non-Federal
funds expended by the school district (regardless of the source of the
funds) for improvements at the Little Rock Central High School National
Historic Site, to the extent such funds were used for the purposes
described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (b), shall be
deemed to meet the requirement of funds from private sources of section
5134(f)(1)(A)(ii) of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the
Secretary of the Interior.
Approved December 22, 2005.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 358:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 109-134, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Financial Services).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 151 (2005):
June 27, considered and passed House.
Nov. 18, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Dec. 18, House concurred in Senate amendment.
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