I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1003 

To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Aretha Franklin 

in recognition of her contributions of outstanding artistic and historical 

significance to culture in the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2019 

Mrs. LAWRENCE (for herself, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Ms. WATERS, Mr. 

COHEN, Mr. SOTO, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, 

Mr. MCNERNEY, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. 

SPANBERGER, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. SIRES, Mrs. 

WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. 

BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. 

PLASKETT, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Ms. 

TLAIB, Ms. SLOTKIN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Ms. 

OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mr. COLLINS of New York, Mr. PETERSON, Ms. BASS, 

Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mr. EVANS, Mr. COLE, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, 

Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. NADLER, Mr. 

CICILLINE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 

WILSON of Florida, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. 

SERRANO, Mrs. BEATTY, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. VEASEY, 

Ms. MOORE, and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to 

Aretha Franklin in recognition of her contributions of 

outstanding artistic and historical significance to culture 

in the United States. 


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•HR 1003 IH

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Aretha Franklin Con5 gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Aretha Franklin was born on March 25, 

9 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, and died peacefully at 

10 her home in Detroit, Michigan, surrounded by family 

11 and loved ones on August 16, 2018. 

12 (2) Aretha Franklin’s musical talents have in13 fluenced generations of musicians and political lead14 ers, creating a legacy that spans an incredible 6 dec15 ades. 

16 (3) Aretha Franklin, dubbed the ‘‘Queen of 

17 Soul’’, was the first woman ever inducted into the 

18 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was a 2005 recipient 

19 of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was a 

20 1999 recipient of the National Medal of Arts and 

21 Humanities Award, among other accolades. 

22 (4) Aretha Franklin’s music served as a 1960s 

23 call to action that inspired thousands to join civil 

24 rights movements and still resonates across these 

25 movements today. 


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•HR 1003 IH

1 (5) Aretha Franklin’s contributions go beyond 

2 music and arts. 

3 (6) Aretha Franklin was also a philanthropist 

4 who supported causes that advanced civil rights, 

5 human health, and gender equality. 

6 (7) Aretha Franklin’s talents instilled hope, up7 lifted generations, and changed the lives of millions 

8 of people across the globe. 

9 (8) The City of Detroit shaped Aretha’s life and 

10 music, as her father and church introduced her to 

11 local Motown artists. 

12 (9) In return, Aretha made countless contribu13 tions to the City of Detroit, and few people have 

14 played a greater role in shaping the Nation’s cul15 turally and socially relevant discography than Aretha 

16 Franklin. 

17 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

18 (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 

19 the House of Representatives and the President pro tem20 pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 

21 for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, 

22 of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration 

23 of Aretha Franklin, in recognition of her outstanding ar24 tistic and historical significance to the culture of the 

25 United States. 


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•HR 1003 IH

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

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

3 of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 

4 ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable em5 blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 

6 Secretary. 

7 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 

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

10 medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, 

11 where it will be displayed as appropriate and made 

12 available for research. 

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

14 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 

15 make the gold medal received under this Act avail16 able for display elsewhere, particularly at other loca17 tions and events associated with Aretha Franklin. 

18 SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

19 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

20 bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 

21 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at 

22 a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 

23 materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, 

24 and the cost of the gold medal. 


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•HR 1003 IH

1 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

2 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu3 ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 

4 51 of title 31, United States Code. 

5 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 

6 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 

7 under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

Æ 


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