II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1710

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in conjunction with

the minting of coins by the Republic of Iceland in commemoration of

the millennium of the discovery of the New World by Leif Ericson.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

OCTOBER 8, 1999

Mr. HARKIN (for himself and Mr. GRAMS ) introduced the following bill; which

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and

Urban Affairs

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins

in conjunction with the minting of coins by the Republic

of Iceland in commemoration of the millennium of the

discovery of the New World by Leif Ericson.

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 ‘‘Leif Ericson Millen5 nium Commemorative Coin Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

7 (a) $1 SILVER COINS.—In conjunction with the si8 multaneous minting and issuance of commemorative coins
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1 by the Republic of Iceland in commemoration of the mil2 lennium of the discovery of the New World by Leif Eric3 son, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act

4 referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and issue not

5 more than 500,000 $1 coins, which shall—

6 (1) weigh 26.73 grams;

7 (2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and

8 (3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent

9 copper.

10 (b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this

11 Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of

12 title 31, United States Code.

13 (c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section

14 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted

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

16 SEC. 3. SOURCES OF BULLION.

17 The Secretary may obtain silver for minting coins

18 under this Act from any available source, including stock19 piles established under the Strategic and Critical Mate20 rials Stock Piling Act.

21 SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.

22 (a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The design of the coins

24 minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the
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1 millennium of the discovery of the New World by

2 Leif Ericson.

3 (2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On

4 each coin minted under this Act there shall be—

5 (A) a designation of the value of the coin;

6 (B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2000’’; and

7 (C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’,

8 ‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer9 ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’.

10 (b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted

11 under this Act shall be—

12 (1) selected by the Secretary after consultation

with the Leifur Eirı ́ 13 kson Foundation and the Com14 mission of Fine Arts; and

15 (2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative

16 Coin Advisory Committee.

17 SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.

18 (a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this

19 Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.

20 (b) MINT FACILITY.—Only 1 facility of the United

21 States Mint may be used to strike any particular quality

22 of the coins minted under this Act.

23 (c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary

24 may issue coins minted under this Act beginning January

25 1, 2000.
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1 (d) TERMINATION OF MINTING AUTHORITY.—No

2 coins may be minted under this Act after December 31,

3 2000.

4 SEC. 6. SURCHARGES.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins minted under

6 this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin.

7 (b) DISTRIBUTION.—All surcharges received by the

8 Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall

be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Leifur Eirı ́ 9 kson

10 Foundation for the purpose of funding student exchanges

11 between students of the United States and students of Ice12 land.

(c) AUDITS.—The Leifur Eirı ́ 13 kson Foundation shall

14 be subject to the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2)

15 of title 31, United States Code, with regard to the

16 amounts received by the Foundation under subsection (b).

17 SEC. 7. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULA18 TIONS.

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection

20 (b), no provision of law governing procurement or public

21 contracts shall be applicable to the procurement of goods

22 and services necessary for carrying out the provisions of

23 this Act.

24 (b) EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.—Sub25 section (a) shall not relieve any person entering into a con-
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1 tract under the authority of this Act from complying with

2 any law relating to equal employment opportunity.

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