A bill to award a Congressional gold medal to Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator.

Summary: Byron Nelson Congressional Gold Medal Act - Provides for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to Byron Nelson in recognition of his contributions to the game of golf as a player, teacher, and commentator.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Byron Nelson Congressional Gold 
Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Byron Nelson was a top player in the sport of golf 
        during the World War II era and his accomplishments as a 
        player, a teacher, and commentator are renowned.
            (2) Byron Nelson won 54 career victories, including a 
        record 11 in a row in 1945, during his short 13-year career.
            (3) Byron Nelson won 5 majors, including 2 Masters (1937 
        and 1942), 2 Professional Golf Association (PGA) Championships 
        (1940 and 1945) and the U.S. Open (1939).
            (4) Sports journalist Bill Nichols recently ranked the 
        greatest seasons on the PGA tour for The Dallas Morning News 
        and picked Roanoke, Texas-resident Byron Nelson's 1945 tour as 
        the greatest season of golf in American history.
            (5) In 1945, Byron Nelson accumulated 18 total victories, 
        11 of which were consecutive, while averaging 68.33 strokes per 
        round for 30 tournaments.
            (6) At the Seattle Open in 1945, Byron Nelson shot a record 
        62 for 18 holes and the world record 259, 29 shots under par 
        for 72 holes.
            (7) Byron Nelson is one of only 2 golfers to be named 
        ``Male Athlete of the Year'' twice by the Associated Press: in 
        1944, when he won 7 tournaments and averaged 69.67 strokes for 
        85 rounds, and again after his 1945 season.
            (8) The World Golf Hall of Fame honored Byron Nelson in 
        2004 by featuring an exhibit entitled ``Byron Nelson: A 
        Champion ... A Gentleman''.
            (9) Byron Nelson was selected for the Ryder Cup 4 times--in 
        1937, 1939, 1947 and 1965, and on that last occasion he led the 
        United States Ryder Cup team as team captain to victory over 
        Great Britain.
            (10) Byron Nelson was also a pioneer in the golf business, 
        helping to develop the golf shoes and umbrellas used today.
            (11) In 1966, True Temper created the ``Iron Byron'' robot 
        to replicate Byron Nelson's swing in order to test the 
        company's equipment, but the robot was eventually used for club 
        and ball testing by the United States Golf Association (USGA) 
        and many other manufacturing companies.
            (12) Byron Nelson mentored many golf hopefuls, including 
        1964 Player of the Year Ken Venturi and 6-time PGA Player of 
        the Year Tom Watson.
            (13) Byron Nelson was one of the first golf analysts on 
        network television where his understanding of the game in 
        general, and the golf swing in particular, was demonstrably 
        profound.
            (14) Byron Nelson received the United States Golf 
        Association's Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship 
        in golf in 1974.
            (15) In 1974, the Golf Writers Association of America 
        presented Byron Nelson with the Richardson Award for 
        consistently outstanding contributions to golf.
            (16) Since 1983, the Byron and Louise Nelson Golf Endowment 
        Fund has provided over $1,500,000 in endowment funds to Abilene 
        Christian University in Abilene, Texas.
            (17) Byron Nelson received the PGA Distinguished Service 
        Award in 1993. This award is presented to an individual who has 
        helped perpetuate the ideals and values of the PGA.
            (18) Byron Nelson has served as an honorary chairperson for 
        the Metroport Meals on Wheels since 1992.
            (19) In 1994, the Golf Course Superintendents Association 
        of America presented Byron Nelson with the Old Tom Morris Award 
        for outstanding contributions to the game.
            (20) Byron Nelson helped to develop the Tournament Players 
        Course (TPC) Four Seasons at Los Colinas, Texas, site of the 
        EDS Byron Nelson Championship and the Byron Nelson Golf School, 
        into a world-class facility.
            (21) The EDS Byron Nelson Championship is the only PGA tour 
        event named in honor of a professional golfer and traditionally 
        attracts the strongest players in the sport.
            (22) Since its inception, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship 
        has raised $88,000,000 for Salesmanship Club Youth and Family 
        Centers, a nonprofit agency that provides education and mental 
        health services for more than 2,700 children and their families 
        in the greater Dallas area.
            (23) In 2002, Byron Nelson received the prestigious Donald 
        Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course Architects 
        (ASGCA) for his significant contribution to the game of golf 
        and the profession of golf course architecture.
            (24) The United States Golf Association presented Byron 
        Nelson the Ike Grainger Award for volunteer service to the game 
        of golf in 2002.
            (25) In 2002, the National Golf Foundation presented Byron 
        Nelson with the Graffis Award for outstanding lifelong 
        contributions to the game of golf.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the 
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make 
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the 
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to Byron Nelson in 
recognition of his significant contributions to the game of golf as a 
player, a teacher, and a commentator.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred 
to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this 
Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with 
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 
Secretary.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medal struck pursuant to section 3 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. 5. 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 section 5134 of title 31, 
United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items.

SEC. 6. 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 4 shall be deposited into the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

            Passed the Senate September 27, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2491

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 To award a Congressional gold medal to Byron Nelson in recognition of 
   his significant contributions to the game of golf as a player, a 
                      teacher, and a commentator.