II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2427 

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

Treasury to mint and issue quarter dollars in commemoration of the 

19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 1, 2019 

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself and Mrs. FISCHER) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, 

Housing, and Urban Affairs 

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 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, 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’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

•S 2427 IS

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) The tireless and passionate efforts of the 

4 suffragists, their supporters, and other stakeholders 

5 contributed to the movement to grant and protect 

6 the right of all women to vote. 

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

8 by suffragists across the country, the Constitution of 

9 the United States was amended by means of the 

10 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to 

11 vote. 

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

13 were granted citizenship and, by extension, the right 

14 to vote. 

15 (4) In 1948, the legal victories of Native Amer16 ican veterans granted protections for the right of all 

17 Native men and women to vote. 

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

19 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) was enacted, 

20 which granted citizenship to all individuals of Asian 

21 descent and, by extension, the right to vote. 

22 (6) Enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 

23 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.) on August 6, 1965, 

24 granted Black women protections to overcome the 

25 legal barriers that prevented many from exercising 

26 their right to vote even though all Blacks had been 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

•S 2427 IS

1 granted citizenship in 1868 with ratification of the 

2 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United 

3 States. 

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

5 reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 re6 moved language barriers to mitigate discrimination 

7 against Hispanic, Asian, and Native American vot8 ers. 

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

10 women’s rights that the suffragists began extends 

11 beyond ratification of the 19th Amendment to the 

12 Constitution of the United States. 

13 (9) August 26, 2020, marks the centennial of 

14 the day that women were granted the right to vote 

15 in the United States. 

16 SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING THE NINE17 TEENTH AMENDMENT. 

18 (a) AMENDMENT TO NATIONAL SITES QUARTER

19 DOLLAR PROGRAM.—Section 5112(t) of title 31, United 

20 States Code, is amended— 

21 (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘‘Notwith22 standing the fourth sentence of subsection (d)(1) 

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

24 paragraph (8), and notwithstanding the fourth sen25 tence of subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2)’’; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

•S 2427 IS

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 the earlier of— 

6 ‘‘(A) the date on which a national site in 

7 each State has been honored; or 

8 ‘‘(B) March 31, 2021.’’; and 

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

10 following: 

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

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

13 the quarter dollar during the period beginning 

14 on January 1, 2021, and ending on December 

15 31, 2021, shall be as follows: 

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

17 shall be the final design of the national 

18 sites program established by this sub19 section. 

20 ‘‘(ii) On a date selected by the Sec21 retary that is not earlier than January 15, 

22 2021, and not later than December 31, 

23 2021, the design shall be the first design 

24 selected pursuant to the program estab25 lished under subsection (x). 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
5 

•S 2427 IS

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

2 Beginning on August 1, 2021, the design of the 

3 quarter dollar shall be in accordance with sub4 section (x).’’. 

5 (b) ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING THE

6 NINETEENTH AMENDMENT.—Section 5112 of title 31, 

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

8 following: 

9 ‘‘(x) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF QUARTER DOL10 LARS COMMEMORATING THE RATIFICATION OF THE

11 NINETEENTH AMENDMENT.— 

12 ‘‘(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING IN 2021.—Notwith13 standing the fourth sentence of subsection (d)(1) 

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

15 the period beginning on the date selected under sub16 section (t)(8)(A)(ii) and ending on the date de17 scribed in paragraph (8) shall have designs on the 

18 reverse selected in accordance with this subsection. 

19 ‘‘(2) NINETEENTH AMENDMENT QUARTER DOL20 LAR DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 

21 ‘‘(A) FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO

22 PLACEMENT OF INSCRIPTIONS.—Notwith23 standing subsection (d)(1), the Secretary may 

24 select a design for quarter dollars described in 

25 paragraph (1) in which— 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
6 

•S 2427 IS

1 ‘‘(i) the inscription described in the 

2 second sentence of subsection (d)(1) ap3 pears on the reverse side of each such 

4 quarter dollar; and 

5 ‘‘(ii) any inscription described in the 

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

7 designation of the value of the coin ap8 pears on the obverse side of each such 

9 quarter dollar. 

10 ‘‘(B) SINGLE PROMINENT AMERICAN

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

12 the design on the reverse of each coin issued 

13 under this subsection shall— 

14 ‘‘(i) be emblematic of the accomplish15 ments and contributions of a prominent 

16 woman who was a resident of a State, the 

17 District of Columbia, or a territory; 

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

19 woman selected under clause (i) and the 

20 State, District of Columbia, or territory; 

21 and 

22 ‘‘(iii) bear other appropriate inscrip23 tions. 

24 ‘‘(3) ISSUANCE OF COINS DURING EACH

25 YEAR.— 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
7 

•S 2427 IS

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

2 quarter dollar coins issued during each year of 

3 the period described in paragraph (1) shall be 

4 emblematic of a maximum of 5 States, the Dis5 trict of Columbia, or territories. 

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

7 dollar coins issued during each year of the pe8 riod described in paragraph (1) shall be issued 

9 in alphabetical order of the area represented, 

10 starting with Alabama. 

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

12 IN EACH YEAR.—The Secretary shall prescribe 

13 the number of quarter dollars that shall be 

14 issued with each of the designs selected for each 

15 year. 

16 ‘‘(4) SELECTION OF DESIGN.— 

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

18 required under this subsection for quarter dol19 lar coins shall— 

20 ‘‘(i) be determined by the Secretary 

21 after— 

22 ‘‘(I) submission of a rec23 ommendation from the chief executive 

24 of the applicable State, the District of 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
8 

•S 2427 IS

1 Columbia, or territory being com2 memorated; and 

3 ‘‘(II) consultation with the Com4 mission of Fine Arts; 

5 ‘‘(ii) be reviewed by the Citizens Coin6 age Advisory Committee; and 

7 ‘‘(iii) honor or commemorate a woman 

8 who has made significant contributions to 

9 the lives of individuals of the applicable 

10 State, the District of Columbia, or terri11 tory. 

12 ‘‘(B) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROC13 ESS.—Designs for quarter dollars may be sub14 mitted in accordance with the design selection 

15 and approval process developed by the Sec16 retary. 

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

18 include in design development, to the greatest 

19 extent practicable, input by— 

20 ‘‘(i) the chief executive of the applica21 ble State, District of Columbia, or terri22 tory; 

23 ‘‘(ii) artists from the States, the Dis24 trict of Columbia, and territories; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
9 

•S 2427 IS

1 ‘‘(iii) engravers of the United States 

2 Mint; 

3 ‘‘(iv) members of the general public 

4 from groups or organizations that are pur5 suing a mission focused on increasing the 

6 inclusion of women or improving the qual7 ity of life for women; and 

8 ‘‘(v) women’s groups and organiza9 tions within the applicable State, the Dis10 trict of Columbia, or territory being com11 memorated that are pursuing a mission fo12 cused on increasing the inclusion of women 

13 or improving the quality of life for women. 

14 ‘‘(D) STANDARDS.—Because it is impor15 tant that the coinage and currency of the 

16 United States bear dignified designs of which 

17 the citizens of the United States can be proud, 

18 the Secretary may not select any frivolous or in19 appropriate design for any coin minted under 

20 this subsection. 

21 ‘‘(E) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REP22 RESENTATIONS.—The design of any quarter 

23 dollar under this subsection may not include— 

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

25 bust of any person, living or dead; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
10 

•S 2427 IS

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

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

3 size such that the coin could be considered 

4 to be a ‘2-headed’ coin. 

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

6 than August 31, 2020, the Secretary shall iden7 tify the first 5 women to be honored under this 

8 subsection. 

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

10 purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins mint11 ed under this subsection shall be considered to be 

12 numismatic items. 

13 ‘‘(6) ISSUANCE.— 

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

15 may mint and issue such number of quarter 

16 dollars of each design selected under paragraph 

17 (4) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the 

18 Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

19 ‘‘(B) SILVER COINS.—Notwithstanding 

20 subsection (b), the Secretary may mint and 

21 issue such number of quarter dollars of each 

22 design selected under paragraph (4) as the Sec23 retary determines to be appropriate, with a con24 tent of not less than 90 percent silver. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
11 

•S 2427 IS

1 ‘‘(7) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF THE ADMIS2 SION OF ADDITIONAL STATE.—If any additional 

3 State is admitted into the Union before the termi4 nation date described in paragraph (8), the Sec5 retary may issue quarter dollar coins, in accordance 

6 with this subsection, with a design that is emblem7 atic of such State during any 1 year of the period 

8 described in paragraph (1), in addition to the quar9 ter dollar coins issued during that year in accord10 ance with paragraph (3)(A). 

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

12 issue quarter dollar coins under this subsection shall 

13 terminate on December 31 of the year in which the 

14 final State or territory has been commemorated with 

15 a design pursuant to paragraph (3). 

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

17 the first day of the year following the year of the 

18 date described in paragraph (8)— 

19 ‘‘(A) the design on the obverse of the quar20 ter dollar shall revert to the same design con21 taining an image of President Washington in 

22 effect for the quarter dollar before the institu23 tion of the 50-State quarter dollar program; 

24 and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
12 

•S 2427 IS

1 ‘‘(B) notwithstanding the fourth sentence 

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

3 of the quarter dollar shall contain an image of 

4 General Washington crossing the Delaware 

5 River prior to the Battle of Trenton. 

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

7 ‘‘(A) RESIDENT.—The term ‘resident’, 

8 with respect to a State, the District of Colum9 bia, or a territory, means that a woman resided 

10 in that State, the District of Columbia, or that 

11 territory for a period of not less than 1 con12 secutive year. 

13 ‘‘(B) TERRITORY.—The term ‘territory’ 

14 means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 

15 Guam, American Samoa, the United States Vir16 gin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the 

17 Northern Mariana Islands. 

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

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

20 and make available for sale such number of bullion 

21 coins as the Secretary determines to be appropriate 

22 that are exact duplicates of the quarter dollars 

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

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

25 weigh 5.0 ounces; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
13 

•S 2427 IS

1 ‘‘(B) contain .999 fine silver; 

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

3 fineness and weight of the bullion coin; 

4 ‘‘(D) bear an inscription of the denomina5 tion of such coin, which shall be ‘quarter dol6 lar’; and 

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

8 United States Mint as so-called ‘fractional’ bul9 lion coins or in any size other than the size de10 scribed in subparagraph (A). 

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

12 minted under paragraph (1)— 

13 ‘‘(A) shall become available for sale not 

14 earlier than the first day of the calendar year 

15 in which the circulating quarter dollar coins of 

16 which such bullion coins are a duplicate are 

17 issued; and 

18 ‘‘(B) may only be available for sale during 

19 the year in which such circulating quarter dol20 lar coins are issued.’’. 

21 SEC. 4. COLLECTION AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 1, 2019, 

23 the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this section 

24 as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall initiate a program to promote 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
14 

•S 2427 IS

1 the collection of, and recognition of the subjects of, the 

2 coins authorized under the amendments made by this Act. 

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

4 a study on the progress of the program described in sub5 section (a). 

6 (c) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2023, the 

7 Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results 

8 of the study conducted under subsection (b). 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS