[116th Congress Public Law 71]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 133 STAT. 1147]]
Public Law 116-71
116th Congress
An Act
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, giving women in the United States the right to
vote. <<NOTE: Nov. 25, 2019 - [H.R. 2423]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Women's Suffrage
Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. 31 USC 5112 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Women's Suffrage Centennial
Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the
first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. 68
women and 32 men signed the Declaration of Sentiments at the
Convention in July 1848.
(2) The Declaration of Sentiments was modeled after the
Declaration of Independence and declared that ``all men and
women are created equal'', linking women's rights directly to
the founding ideals of the United States.
(3) Suffrage activists, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells,
Jovita Idar, Inez Millholland, Mary Church Terrell, Anne Dallas
Dudley, Carrie Chapman Catt, Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, Esther
Hobart Morris, and many others, conducted over 900 local, State,
and Federal campaigns over a 72-year time span to win women the
right to vote.
(4) On November 6, 1917, New York granted women the right to
vote, which was an act that created momentum for the national
movement that culminated in the ratification of the 19th
Amendment to the Constitution of the United States 3 years
later.
(5) The 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States (``The Susan B. Anthony Amendment'') guarantees all
United States women the right to vote and was passed by the 66th
Congress of the United States on June 4, 1919.
(6) On August 9, 1920, right before the ratification period
was set to expire, Governor Albert H. Roberts called a special
session of the Tennessee General Assembly to consider the
amendment. Pro-suffrage and anti-suffrage activists from around
the country descended on Nashville, Tennessee, intent on
influencing the legislature.
(7) After the amendment was defeated in a 48-48 tie vote,
Tennessee State Representative Harry T. Burn from McMinn
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County cast the deciding favorable vote after receiving a note
from his mother, Phoebe Ensminger Burn, imploring him to vote
yes for ratification.
(8) On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final
State needed to pass the 19th Amendment, ensuring its
ratification pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the
United States.
(9) The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 26, 1920, when
Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby issued a proclamation
announcing it has become part of the Constitution of the United
States.
(10) The ratification of the 19th Amendment marked the
single largest extension of voting rights in United States
history, enfranchising 27,000,000 American women in the United
States.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is--
(1) to honor and commemorate the work of women suffrage
activists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries;
(2) to increase public awareness and appreciation for the
history of the women's suffrage movement; and
(3) to encourage all women in the United States to exercise
their hard-won franchise and to become involved in civic life if
they so choose.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) $1 Silver Coins.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more
than 400,000 $1 coins, which shall--
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain at least 90 percent silver.
(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 sections 5134 and 5136 of
title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COIN.
(a) Design Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
Act shall be emblematic of the women who played a vital role in
rallying support for the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of
the United States.
(2) Designations and inscriptions.--On each coin minted
under this Act, there shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ``2020''; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God
We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E
Pluribus Unum''.
(b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this Act
shall--
(1) contain motifs that honor Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth
Cady Stanton, Carrie Chapman Catt, Harriet Tubman, Mary Church
Terrell, Alice Paul, Lide Meriwether, Ida B. Wells, and other
suffrage activists of the late 19th century and early 20th
centuries;
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(2) <<NOTE: Consultation.>> be selected by the Secretary,
after consultation with the Smithsonian Institution's American
Women's History Initiative, and the Commission of Fine Arts; and
(3) <<NOTE: Review.>> be reviewed by the Citizens Coinage
Advisory Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued
in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Mint Facilities.--Only one facility of the United States Mint
may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under
this Act.
(c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins under this
Act only during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on
December 31, 2020.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by
the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to
such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, and shipping).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins
issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(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) In General.--All sales of coins issued under this Act shall
include a surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin described under
section 3(a).
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, and section 8(2), all surcharges received by the Secretary
from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by
the Secretary to the Smithsonian Institution's American Women's History
Initiative for the purpose of--
(1) collecting, studying, and establishing programs relating
to women's contributions to various fields and throughout
different periods of history that have influenced the direction
of the United States; and
(2) creating exhibitions and programs that recognize diverse
perspectives on women's history and contributions.
(c) Audits.--The Smithsonian Institution's American Women's History
Initiative shall be subject to the audit requirements of section
5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard to the amounts
received under subsection (b).
SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure
that--
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(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result
in any net cost to the United States Government; and
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, shall be
disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7(b) until the
total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized
by this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery,
overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping) is recovered by the
United States Treasury, consistent with sections 5112(m) and
5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 9. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with
the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Approved November 25, 2019.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2423:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 165 (2019):
Oct. 28, considered and passed House.
Oct. 31, considered and passed Senate.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2019):
Nov. 25, Presidential remarks.
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