I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5308 

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 15, 2018 

Ms. LEE (for herself and Mr. POLIQUIN) 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: 


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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. 


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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)’’; 


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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 (w). 

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

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


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1 dollar shall be in accordance with subsection 

2 (w).’’. 

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 ‘‘(w) 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 03:49 Mar 28, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5308.IH H5308

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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 


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1 emblematic of a maximum of 5 States, the Dis2 trict of Columbia, or territories. 

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

4 dollar coins issued during each year of the pe5 riod referred to in paragraph (1) shall be issued 

6 in alphabetical order of the area represented, 

7 starting with Alabama. 

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

9 IN EACH YEAR.—The Secretary shall prescribe 

10 the number of quarter dollars which shall be 

11 issued with each of the designs selected for each 

12 year. 

13 ‘‘(4) SELECTION OF DESIGN.— 

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

15 required under this subsection for quarter dol16 lar coins shall— 

17 ‘‘(i) be approved by the Secretary 

18 after— 

19 ‘‘(I) submission of a rec20 ommendation from the chief executive 

21 of the applicable State, the District of 

22 Columbia, or territory being com23 memorated; 

24 ‘‘(II) consultation with women’s 

25 groups and organizations within the 


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1 applicable State, the District of Co2 lumbia, or territory being commemo3 rated that are pursuing a mission fo4 cused on increasing the inclusion of 

5 women, or improving the quality of 

6 life for women; and 

7 ‘‘(III) consultation with the Com8 mission of Fine Arts; 

9 ‘‘(ii) be reviewed by the Citizens Coin10 age Advisory Committee; and 

11 ‘‘(iii) honor or commemorate a woman 

12 who has made significant contributions to 

13 the lives of individuals of the applicable 

14 State, the District of Columbia, or terri15 tory. 

16 ‘‘(B) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROC17 ESS.—Designs for quarter dollars may be sub18 mitted in accordance with the design selection 

19 and approval process developed by the Sec20 retary. 

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

22 include in design selection, to the greatest ex23 tent practicable, participation by— 


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1 ‘‘(i) the chief executive of the applica2 ble State, District of Columbia, or terri3 tory; 

4 ‘‘(ii) artists from the States, District 

5 of Columbia, and territories; 

6 ‘‘(iii) engravers of the United States 

7 Mint; and 

8 ‘‘(iv) members of the general public 

9 from groups or organizations that are pur10 suing a mission focused on increasing the 

11 inclusion of women or improving the qual12 ity of life for women. 

13 ‘‘(D) STANDARDS.—Because it is impor14 tant that the Nation’s coinage and currency 

15 bear dignified designs of which the citizens of 

16 the United States can be proud, the Secretary 

17 shall not select any frivolous or inappropriate 

18 design for any coin minted under this sub19 section. 

20 ‘‘(E) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REP21 RESENTATIONS.—The design of any quarter 

22 dollar under this subsection may not include— 

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

24 bust of any person, living or dead; 

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


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

2 size such that the coin could be considered 

3 to be a ‘2-headed’ coin. 

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

5 than August 31, 2020, the Secretary shall pub6 lish each of the first 5 designs described in sub7 paragraph (A). 

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

9 purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins de10 scribed under this subsection shall be considered to 

11 be numismatic items. 

12 ‘‘(6) ISSUANCE.— 

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

14 may mint and issue such number of quarter 

15 dollars of each design selected under paragraph 

16 (4) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the 

17 Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

18 ‘‘(B) SILVER COINS.—Notwithstanding 

19 subsection (b), the Secretary may mint and 

20 issue such number of quarter dollars of each 

21 design selected under paragraph (4) as the Sec22 retary determines to be appropriate, with a con23 tent of not less than 90 percent silver. 

24 ‘‘(7) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF THE ADMIS25 SION OF ADDITIONAL STATE.—If any additional 


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1 State is admitted into the Union before the termi2 nation date described in paragraph (8), the Sec3 retary may issue quarter dollar coins, in accordance 

4 with this subsection, with a design which is emblem5 atic of such State during any 1 year of the period 

6 described in paragraph (1), in addition to the quar7 ter dollar coins issued during such year in accord8 ance with paragraph (3)(A). 

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

10 issue quarter dollar coins pursuant to this subsection 

11 shall terminate on December 31 of the year in which 

12 the final State or territory has been commemorated 

13 with a design pursuant to paragraph (3). 

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

15 the first day of the year following the year of the 

16 date described in paragraph (8)— 

17 ‘‘(A) the design on the obverse of the quar18 ter dollar shall revert to the same design con19 taining an image of President Washington in 

20 effect for the quarter dollar before the institu21 tion of the 50-State quarter dollar program; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(B) notwithstanding the fourth sentence 

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

25 of the quarter dollar shall contain an image of 


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1 General Washington crossing the Delaware 

2 River prior to the Battle of Trenton. 

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

4 ‘‘(A) The term ‘territory’ means the Com5 monwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American 

6 Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and 

7 the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Is8 lands. 

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

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

11 means that a woman resided in such State, the 

12 District of Columbia, or such territory for a pe13 riod of at least 1 consecutive year. 

14 ‘‘(x) SILVER BULLION INVESTMENT PRODUCT.— 

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

16 and make available for sale such number of bullion 

17 coins as the Secretary determines to be appropriate 

18 that are exact duplicates of the quarter dollars 

19 issued under subsection (w), each of which shall— 

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

21 weigh 5.0 ounces; 

22 ‘‘(B) contain .999 fine silver; 

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

24 fineness and weight of the bullion coin; 


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1 ‘‘(D) bear an inscription of the denomina2 tion of such coin, which shall be ‘quarter dol3 lar’; and 

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

5 United States Mint as so-called ‘fractional’ bul6 lion coins or in any size other than the size de7 scribed in subparagraph (A). 

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

9 minted under paragraph (1)— 

10 ‘‘(A) shall become available for sale no 

11 sooner than the first day of the calendar year 

12 in which the circulating quarter dollar coins of 

13 which such bullion coins are a duplicate are 

14 issued; and 

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

16 the year in which such circulating quarter dol17 lar coins are issued.’’. 

18 SEC. 4. COLLECTION AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 1, 2018, 

20 the Secretary of the Treasury shall initiate a program to 

21 promote the collection of, and recognition of the subjects 

22 of, the coins authorized under the amendments made by 

23 this Act. 


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

2 a study on the progress of the program described in sub3 section (a). 

4 (c) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2019, the 

5 Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress on the 

6 results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (b). 

Æ 


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