H. R. 1932

One Hundred Sixth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine

An Act

To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress

to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, in recognition of his outstanding and enduring

contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation,

and the global community.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Father Theodore M. Hesburgh

Congressional Gold Medal Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that—

(1) Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., has made outstanding and enduring contributions to American society

through his activities in civil rights, higher education, the

Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community;

(2) Father Hesburgh was a charter member of the United

States Commission on Civil Rights from its creation in 1957

and served as chairperson of the Commission from 1969 to

1972;

(3) Father Hesburgh was president of the University of

Notre Dame from 1952 until 1987, and has been president

emeritus since 1987;

(4) Father Hesburgh is a national and international leader

in higher education;

(5) Father Hesburgh has been honored with the Elizabeth

Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Education

Association and with more than 130 honorary degrees;

(6) Father Hesburgh served as co-chairperson of the nationally influential Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

and as chairperson, from 1994 to 1996, of the Board of Overseers of Harvard University;

(7) Father Hesburgh served under President Ford as a

member of the Presidential Clemency Board, charged with

deciding the fates of persons committing offenses during the

Vietnam conflict;

(8) Father Hesburgh served as chairman of the board of

the Overseas Development Council and in that capacity led

fundraising efforts that averted mass starvation in Cambodia

in 1979 and 1980;

(9) Father Hesburgh served from 1979 to 1981 as chairperson of the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee
H. R. 1932—2

Policy, which made recommendations that served as the basis

of congressional reform legislation enacted 5 years later;

(10) Father Hesburgh served as ambassador to the 1979

United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for

Development; and

(11) Father Hesburgh has served the Catholic Church in

a variety of capacities, including his service from 1956 to 1970

as the permanent Vatican representative to the International

Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and his service as a member

of the Holy See’s delegation to the United Nations.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The President is authorized

to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate

design to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community.

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

referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (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. NATIONAL MEDALS.

The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals

for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized

to be charged against the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund

an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal

authorized by this Act.
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(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sales of

duplicate bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the

Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.