[110th Congress Public Law 209]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[DOCID: f:publ209.110]
[[Page 122 STAT. 721]]
Public Law 110-209
110th Congress
An Act
To award a congressional gold medal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in
recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace,
nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma. <<NOTE: May 6,
2008 - [H.R. 4286]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: 31 USC 5111
note.>> assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Aung San Suu Kyi was born on June 19, 1945, in Rangoon,
Burma, to Aung San, commander of the Burma Independence Army,
and Ma Khin Kyi.
(2) On August 15, 1988, Ms. Suu Kyi, in her first political
action, sent an open letter to the military controlled
government asking for free, open, and multi-party elections.
(3) On September 24, 1988, the National League for Democracy
(NLD) was formed, with Ms. Suu Kyi as the general-secretary, and
it was, and remains, dedicated to a policy of non-violence and
civil disobedience.
(4) Ms. Suu Kyi was subsequently placed under house arrest,
where she remained for the next 6 years--without being charged
or put on trial--and has been imprisoned twice more; she
currently remains under house arrest.
(5) Despite her detention, the National League for Democracy
won an open election with an overwhelming 82 percent of the
vote--which the military junta nullified.
(6) While under house arrest, she has bravely refused offers
to leave the country to continue to promote freedom and
democracy in Burma.
(7) For her efforts on behalf of the Burmese people, she has
been awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990,
the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, and the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1991.
(8) Ms. Suu Kyi continues to fight on behalf of the Burmese
people, even donating her $1.3 million from her Nobel Prize to
establish a health and education fund for Burma.
(9) She is the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize
recipient, spending more than 12 of the past 17 years under
house arrest.
(10) Despite an assassination attempt against her life, her
prolonged illegal imprisonment, the constant public vilification
of her character, and her inability to see her children or to
see her husband before his death, Ms. Suu Kyi remains committed
to peaceful dialogue with her captors, Burma's military
[[Page 122 STAT. 722]]
regime, and Burma's ethnic nationalities towards bringing
democracy, human rights, and national reconciliation to Burma.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall make
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design, to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace,
nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred
to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with suitable
emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such regulations as the
Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost
thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this Act are
national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States
Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such
amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck
pursuant to this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals authorized under section 3 shall be deposited into the
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Approved May 6, 2008.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4286:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 153 (2007):
Dec. 17, considered and passed
House.
Vol. 154 (2008):
Apr. 24, considered and passed
Senate.
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 44 (2008):
May 6, Presidential remarks.
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