118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4243 

AN ACT 

To award posthumously the Congressional Gold Medal to 

Shirley Chisholm. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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†S 4243 ES

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Shirley Chisholm Con3 gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 The Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first 

7 African-American woman elected to Congress where 

8 she served until 1982. 

9 (2) Shirley Chisholm inspired and led the 

10 march of political achievement by African Americans 

11 and women in the 3 decades since she ran for the 

12 Presidency of the United States. 

13 (3) Her election to Congress and her candidacy 

14 for the Presidency raised the profile and aspirations 

15 of all African Americans and women in the field of 

16 politics. 

17 (4) Shirley Chisholm was recognized for her ac18 tivism, independence, and groundbreaking achieve19 ments in politics during and after the civil rights 

20 era. 

21 (5) Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, 

22 New York, on November 30, 1924, attended Brook23 lyn College, and earned a master’s degree from Co24 lumbia University. 
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1 (6) Shirley Chisholm worked in education and 

2 social services before being elected to the New York 

3 State Assembly in 1964. 

4 (7) Shirley Chisholm established the Unity 

5 Democratic Club in 1960, which played a significant 

6 role in rallying Black and Hispanic voters in New 

7 York City. 

8 (8) In 1969, Shirley Chisholm began her service 

9 in the 91st Congress, representing New York’s 12th 

10 Congressional District in the House of Representa11 tives. 

12 (9) During her service in the House of Rep13 resentatives, Shirley Chisholm promoted the employ14 ment of women in Congress and was vocal in her 

15 support of civil rights, women’s rights, and the poor, 

16 while fervently opposing the Vietnam War. 

17 (10) In 1972, Shirley Chisholm was the first 

18 African American to seek the nomination of a major 

19 party for President of the United States. 

20 (11) A historic figure in American political his21 tory, Shirley Chisholm died at the age of 80 in Or22 mond Beach, Florida, on New Year’s Day 2005. 

23 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

24 (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 

25 the House of Representatives and the President pro tem-
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1 pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 

2 for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of the Con3 gress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemo4 ration of Shirley Chisholm. 

5 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the 

6 presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 

7 of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec8 retary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, 

9 devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec10 retary. The design shall bear an image of, and an inscrip11 tion of the name of, Shirley Chisholm. 

12 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—After the award of the gold 

14 medal referred to in subsection (a), the gold medal 

15 shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where 

16 it will be displayed as appropriate and made avail17 able for research. 

18 (2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 

19 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 

20 make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) 

21 for display elsewhere, particularly at other locations 

22 and events associated with Shirley Chisholm. 

23 SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

24 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

25 bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3, at 
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1 a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, includ2 ing labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead 

3 expenses. 

4 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

5 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—Medals struck under this 

6 Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 

7 31, United States Code. 

8 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 

9 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals 

10 struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic 

11 items. 

12 SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF 

13 SALE. 

14 (a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is 

15 authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 

16 Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be nec17 essary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under 

18 this Act. 

19 (b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the 

20 sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 
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1 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public 

2 Enterprise Fund. 

Passed the Senate December 3, 2024. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4243 

AN ACT 

To award posthumously the Congressional Gold 

Medal to Shirley Chisholm.