I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1923 

To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the 

Treasury to mint and issue quarter dollars in commemoration of the 

Nineteenth Amendment, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 27, 2019 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself and Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue quarter dollars 

in commemoration of the Nineteenth Amendment, and 

for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Women’s History and 

5 Nineteenth Amendment Centennial Quarter Dollar Coin 

6 Program Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 Congress finds the following: 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1923 IH

1 (1) The tireless and passionate efforts of the 

2 suffragists, their supporters, and other stakeholders 

3 contributed to the movement to grant and protect 

4 the right of all women to vote. 

5 (2) On August 26, 1920, after a long campaign 

6 by suffragists across the country, the United States 

7 Constitution was amended with the 19th Amend8 ment, granting women the right to vote. 

9 (3) On June 24, 1924, all Native Americans 

10 were granted citizenship, and by extension the right 

11 to vote. 

12 (4) In 1948, the legal victories of Native Amer13 ican veterans granted protections for the right of all 

14 Native men and women to vote. 

15 (5) On June 27, 1952, the Immigration and 

16 Nationality Act of 1952 was enacted, granting citi17 zenship to all individuals of Asian descent, and by 

18 extension, the right to vote. 

19 (6) Enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 

20 1965 on August 6, 1965, granted Black women pro21 tections to overcome the legal barriers that pre22 vented many from exercising their right to vote even 

23 though all Blacks had been granted citizenship in 

24 1868 with ratification of the 14th Amendment. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1923 IH

1 (7) On August 6, 1975, the amendments to the 

2 reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 re3 moved language barriers to mitigate discrimination 

4 against Hispanic, Asian, and Native American vot5 ers. 

6 (8) It was not until March 29, 1961, when the 

7 23rd Amendment passed that women in Washington, 

8 DC, were allowed to vote in all elections. 

9 (9) Women’s history and the movement for 

10 women’s rights that the suffragists began extends 

11 beyond ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. 

12 (10) August 26, 2020, marks the centennial of 

13 the day that women were granted the right to vote 

14 in America. 

15 SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING THE NINE16 TEENTH AMENDMENT. 

17 (a) AMENDMENT TO NATIONAL SITES QUARTER

18 DOLLAR PROGRAM.—Subsection (t) of section 5112 of 

19 title 31, United States Code, is amended— 

20 (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘‘Notwith21 standing the fourth sentence of subsection (d)(1) 

22 and subsection (d)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to 

23 paragraph (8), and notwithstanding the fourth sen24 tence of subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2)’’; 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1923 IH

1 (2) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the 

2 following: 

3 ‘‘(7) PERIOD OF ISSUANCE.—Subject to para4 graph (2), the program established under this sub5 section shall continue in effect until a national site 

6 in each State has been honored and shall terminate 

7 not later than March 31, 2021.’’; and 

8 (3) by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the 

9 following: 

10 ‘‘(8) DESIGNS STARTING ON JANUARY 1, 2021.— 

11 ‘‘(A) TRANSITION PERIOD.—The design of 

12 the quarter dollar from January 1, 2021, to 

13 March 31, 2021, shall be as follows: 

14 ‘‘(i) On January 1, 2021, the design 

15 shall be the final design of the national 

16 sites program established by this sub17 section. 

18 ‘‘(ii) On a date selected by the Sec19 retary that is not earlier than January 15, 

20 2021, and not later than March 31, 2021, 

21 the design shall be the first design selected 

22 pursuant to the program described in sub23 section (x). 

24 ‘‘(B) DESIGN AFTER END OF PROGRAM.— 

25 As of April 1, 2021, the design of the quarter 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 1923 IH

1 dollar shall be in accordance with subsection 

2 (x).’’. 

3 (b) ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING THE

4 NINETEENTH AMENDMENT.—Section 5112 of title 31, 

5 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

6 following: 

7 ‘‘(x) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF QUARTER DOL8 LARS COMMEMORATING THE RATIFICATION OF THE

9 NINETEENTH AMENDMENT.— 

10 ‘‘(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING IN 2021.—Notwith11 standing the fourth sentence of subsection (d)(1) 

12 and subsection (d)(2), quarter dollars issued during 

13 the period beginning on the date described in sub14 section (t)(8)(A)(ii) and ending on the date de15 scribed in paragraph (8) shall have designs on the 

16 reverse selected in accordance with this subsection. 

17 ‘‘(2) NINETEENTH AMENDMENT QUARTER DOL18 LAR DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 

19 ‘‘(A) FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO

20 PLACEMENT OF INSCRIPTIONS.—Notwith21 standing subsection (d)(1), the Secretary may 

22 select a design for quarter dollars described in 

23 paragraph (1) in which— 

24 ‘‘(i) the inscription described in the 

25 second sentence of subsection (d)(1) apVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:12 Apr 09, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1923.IH H1923

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 1923 IH

1 pears on the reverse side of any such quar2 ter dollars; and 

3 ‘‘(ii) any inscription described in the 

4 third sentence of subsection (d)(1) or the 

5 designation of the value of the coin ap6 pears on the obverse side of any such quar7 ter dollars. 

8 ‘‘(B) SINGLE PROMINENT AMERICAN

9 WOMAN.—Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1), 

10 the design on the reverse of each coin issued 

11 under this subsection shall— 

12 ‘‘(i) be emblematic of the accomplish13 ments and contributions of a prominent 

14 woman who was a resident of a State, the 

15 District of Columbia, or a territory; 

16 ‘‘(ii) bear the name of the prominent 

17 woman and the State, District of Colum18 bia, or territory; and 

19 ‘‘(iii) bear other appropriate inscrip20 tions. 

21 ‘‘(3) ISSUANCE OF COINS DURING EACH

22 YEAR.— 

23 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The designs for the 

24 quarter dollar coins issued during each year of 

25 the period referred to in paragraph (1) shall be 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 1923 IH

1 emblematic of the accomplishments and con2 tributions of a prominent woman from a max3 imum of 5 States, the District of Columbia, or 

4 territories. 

5 ‘‘(B) ORDER OF ISSUANCE.—The quarter 

6 dollar coins issued during each year of the pe7 riod referred to in paragraph (1) shall be issued 

8 in alphabetical order of the area represented, 

9 starting with Alabama. 

10 ‘‘(C) NUMBER OF EACH OF COIN DESIGNS

11 IN EACH YEAR.—The Secretary shall prescribe 

12 the number of quarter dollars which shall be 

13 issued with each of the designs selected for each 

14 year. 

15 ‘‘(4) SELECTION OF DESIGN.— 

16 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each of the designs 

17 required under this subsection for quarter dol18 lar coins shall— 

19 ‘‘(i) be determined by the Secretary 

20 after consultation with the Commission of 

21 Fine Arts; 

22 ‘‘(ii) be reviewed by the Citizens Coin23 age Advisory Committee; and 

24 ‘‘(iii) honor or commemorate a woman 

25 who has made significant contributions to 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 1923 IH

1 the lives of individuals of the applicable 

2 State, the District of Columbia, or terri3 tory. 

4 ‘‘(B) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROC5 ESS.—Designs for quarter dollars may be sub6 mitted in accordance with the design selection 

7 and approval process developed by the Sec8 retary. 

9 ‘‘(C) PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall 

10 include in design development, to the greatest 

11 extent practicable, input by— 

12 ‘‘(i) the chief executive of the applica13 ble State, District of Columbia, or terri14 tory; 

15 ‘‘(ii) engravers of the United States 

16 Mint; 

17 ‘‘(iii) members of the general public 

18 from groups or organizations that are pur19 suing a mission focused on increasing the 

20 inclusion of women or improving the qual21 ity of life for women; and 

22 ‘‘(iv) women’s groups and organiza23 tions within the applicable State, the Dis24 trict of Columbia, or territory being com25 memorated that are pursuing a mission foVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:12 Apr 09, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1923.IH H1923

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 1923 IH

1 cused on increasing the inclusion of 

2 women, or improving the quality of life for 

3 women. 

4 ‘‘(D) STANDARDS.—Because it is impor5 tant that the Nation’s coinage and currency 

6 bear dignified designs of which the citizens of 

7 the United States can be proud, the Secretary 

8 shall not select any frivolous or inappropriate 

9 design for any coin minted under this sub10 section. 

11 ‘‘(E) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REP12 RESENTATIONS.—The design of any quarter 

13 dollar under this subsection may not include— 

14 ‘‘(i) a head and shoulders portrait or 

15 bust of any person, living or dead; 

16 ‘‘(ii) a portrait of a living person; or 

17 ‘‘(iii) a depiction of an individual in a 

18 size such that the coin could be considered 

19 to be a ‘2-headed’ coin. 

20 ‘‘(F) RELEASE OF DESIGNS.—Not later 

21 than December 31, 2020, the Secretary shall 

22 identify the first 5 women to be honored. 

23 ‘‘(5) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For 

24 purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins deVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:12 Apr 09, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1923.IH H1923

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 1923 IH

1 scribed under this subsection shall be considered to 

2 be numismatic items. 

3 ‘‘(6) ISSUANCE.— 

4 ‘‘(A) QUALITY OF COINS.—The Secretary 

5 may mint and issue such number of quarter 

6 dollars of each design selected under paragraph 

7 (4) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the 

8 Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

9 ‘‘(B) SILVER COINS.—Notwithstanding 

10 subsection (b), the Secretary may mint and 

11 issue such number of quarter dollars of each 

12 design selected under paragraph (4) as the Sec13 retary determines to be appropriate, with a con14 tent of not less than 90 percent silver. 

15 ‘‘(7) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF THE ADMIS16 SION OF ADDITIONAL STATE.—If any additional 

17 State is admitted into the Union before the termi18 nation date described in paragraph (8), the Sec19 retary may issue quarter dollar coins, in accordance 

20 with this subsection, with a design which is emblem21 atic of such State during any 1 year of the period 

22 described in paragraph (1), in addition to the quar23 ter dollar coins issued during such year in accord24 ance with paragraph (3)(A). 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
11 

•HR 1923 IH

1 ‘‘(8) TERMINATION DATE.—The authority to 

2 mint quarter dollar coins pursuant to this subsection 

3 shall terminate on December 31 of the year in which 

4 the final State or territory has been commemorated 

5 with a design pursuant to paragraph (3). 

6 ‘‘(9) DESIGNS AFTER END OF PROGRAM.—On 

7 the first day of the year following the year of the 

8 date described in paragraph (8)— 

9 ‘‘(A) the design on the obverse of the quar10 ter dollar shall revert to the same design con11 taining an image of President Washington in 

12 effect for the quarter dollar before the institu13 tion of the 50-State quarter dollar program; 

14 and 

15 ‘‘(B) notwithstanding the fourth sentence 

16 of subsection (d)(1), the design on the reverse 

17 of the quarter dollar shall contain an image of 

18 General Washington crossing the Delaware 

19 River prior to the Battle of Trenton. 

20 ‘‘(10) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

21 ‘‘(A) The term ‘territory’ means the Com22 monwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American 

23 Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and 

24 the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Is25 lands. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
12 

•HR 1923 IH

1 ‘‘(B) The term ‘resident’, with respect to a 

2 State, the District of Columbia, or a territory, 

3 means that a woman resided in such State, the 

4 District of Columbia, or such territory for a pe5 riod of at least 1 consecutive year. 

6 ‘‘(y) SILVER BULLION INVESTMENT PRODUCT.— 

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall strike 

8 and make available for sale such number of bullion 

9 coins as the Secretary determines to be appropriate 

10 that are exact duplicates of the quarter dollars 

11 issued under subsection (x), each of which shall— 

12 ‘‘(A) have a diameter of 3.0 inches and 

13 weigh 5.0 ounces; 

14 ‘‘(B) contain .999 fine silver; 

15 ‘‘(C) have incused into the edge the 

16 fineness and weight of the bullion coin; 

17 ‘‘(D) bear an inscription of the denomina18 tion of such coin, which shall be ‘quarter dol19 lar’; and 

20 ‘‘(E) not be minted or issued by the 

21 United States Mint as so-called ‘fractional’ bul22 lion coins or in any size other than the size de23 scribed in subparagraph (A). 

24 ‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY FOR SALE.—Bullion coins 

25 minted under paragraph (1) shall become available 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
13 

•HR 1923 IH

1 for sale no sooner than the first day of the calendar 

2 year in which the circulating quarter dollar coins of 

3 which such bullion coins are a duplicate are issued.’’. 

4 SEC. 4. COLLECTION AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than April 1, 2020, the 

6 Secretary of the Treasury shall initiate a program to pro7 mote the collection of, and recognition of the subjects of, 

8 the coins authorized under the amendments made by this 

9 Act. 

10 (b) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall conduct 

11 a study on the progress of the program described in sub12 section (a). 

13 (c) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit a report to 

14 the Congress on the results of the study conducted pursu15 ant to subsection (b). 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS