I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4881

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration 

of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 21, 2004

Mr. CULBERSON (for himself, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. AKIN, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. 

ANDREWS, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BAKER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BALLENGER, 

Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BASS, 

Mr. BEAUPREZ, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. BEREUTER, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. 

BERRY, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mrs. 

BLACKBURN, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. BONILLA, 

Mr. BONNER, Mrs. BONO, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. 

BROWN of South Carolina, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. 

BOSWELL, Mr. BOYD, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, 

Mr. BURGESS, Mr. BURNS, Mr. BURR, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. 

BUYER, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CANNON, Mr. CANTOR, Mrs. 

CAPITO, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. CARTER, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. 

CHOCOLA, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. COBLE, Mr. COLE, Mr. COOPER, Mr. COX, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. CRANE, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mrs. CUBIN, 

Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. TOM DAVIS

of Virginia, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DELAY, Mr. 

DEMINT, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. MARIO DIAZBALART of Florida, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. DREIER, Mr. DUNCAN, Ms. DUNN, Mr. 

EHLERS, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. ENGLISH, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. 

ETHERIDGE, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. FARR, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FERGUSON, 

Mr. FLAKE, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. FORBES, Mr. FORD, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. 

FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. FEENEY, Mr. 

FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. FROST, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. 

GOODE, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. GOSS, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. GRAVES, Mr. 

GREENWOOD, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. 

HARRIS, Ms. HART, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. HAYES, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HENSARLING, 

Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILL, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. HOBSON, Mr. HOEFFEL, 
2

•HR 4881 IH 

Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. HOUGHTON, Mr. 

HOYER, Mr. HULSHOF, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. HYDE, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. 

ISRAEL, Mr. ISSA, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. JENKINS, Mr. JOHN, 

Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. KELLER, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota, Mr. KING of New York, 

Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. KIRK, Mr. KLINE, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. KOLBE, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LAMPSON, Mr. 

LANGEVIN, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. LATOURETTE, 

Mr. LEACH, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. LINDER, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma, Mr. LUCAS of Kentucky, 

Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCHUGH, 

Mr. MCINNIS, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. 

MEEK of Florida, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. MICA, Mrs. MILLER of 

Michigan, Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California, Mr. MILLER of Florida, 

Mr. MOLLOHAN, Mr. MOORE, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NADLER, Mr. 

NETHERCUTT, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. NEY, Mrs. NORTHUP, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. OLVER, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. OSBORNE, Mr. OSE, 

Mr. OTTER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. PEARCE, 

Ms. PELOSI, Mr. PENCE, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. PETRI, 

Mr. PICKERING, Mr. PITTS, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. POMBO, Mr. POMEROY, 

Mr. PORTER, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. PUTNAM, 

Mr. QUINN, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. REGULA, Mr. REHBERG, Mr. RENZI, Mr. REYES, Mr. REYNOLDS, Mr. 

RODRIGUEZ, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. 

ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. 

ROSS, Mr. ROTHMAN, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. 

RYAN of Ohio, Mr. RYUN of Kansas, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. SAXTON, 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SCHROCK, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, 

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. SHAW, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. SHERWOOD, Mr. 

SHIMKUS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. SIMPSON, Ms. SLAUGHTER, 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. SMITH of Michigan, 

Mr. SNYDER, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STENHOLM, 

Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. SWEENEY, Mr. TANCREDO, Mrs. 

TAUSCHER, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr. TERRY, 

Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. TIBERI, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. TURNER of Ohio, Mr. UPTON, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. VITTER, Mr. WALDEN

of Oregon, Mr. WALSH, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WATT, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. 

WEINER, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. 

WEXLER, Mr. BACA, Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico, Mr. WILSON of South 

Carolina, Mr. WOLF, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. WU, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Mr. 

YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. BELL, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. CORRINE

BROWN of Florida, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. EMANUEL, Mr. 

EVANS, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr. INSLEE, Ms. EDDIE

BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. KIND, Mr. 

LARSEN of Washington, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MICHAUD, 
3

•HR 4881 IH 

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. OWENS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi, Mr. TURNER of Texas, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. HALL, 

Mr. WICKER, Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin, Mr. NUNES, Ms. HERSETH, Mr. 

CHANDLER, Mr. HOLT, and Mrs. LOWEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 

in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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 ‘‘NASA and JPL 50th 

5 Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 

7 (a) DENOMINATIONS.—In commemoration of the 

8 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Aer9 onautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion 

10 Laboratory, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in 

11 this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary) shall mint and issue 

12 the following coins: 

13 (1) $10 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 75,000 

14 $10 gold coins of such specifications as the Sec15 retary determines to be appropriate. 
4

•HR 4881 IH 

1 (2) $5 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 100,000 

2 $5 coins, which shall—

3 (A) weigh 8.359 grams; 

4 (B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and 

5 (C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent 

6 alloy. 

7 (3) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 500,000 

8 $1 coins, which shall—

9 (A) weigh 26.73 grams; 

10 (B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 

11 (C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 per12 cent copper. 

13 (4) HALF DOLLAR SILVER COINS.—Not more 

14 than 500,000 half dollar coins which shall—

15 (A) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and 

16 (B) contain 90 percent silver and 10 per17 cent copper. 

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

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

20 title 31, United States Code. 

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

22 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted 

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

24 SEC. 3. DESIGN OF COINS. 

25 (a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—
5

•HR 4881 IH 

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

2 minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the 50 

3 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of 

4 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

5 and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

6 (2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On 

7 each coin minted under this Act there shall be—

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

9 (B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2008’’; and 

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

11 ‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer12 ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’, and such other 

13 inscriptions as the Secretary may determine to 

14 be appropriate for the designs of the coins. 

15 (3) COIN IMAGES.—

16 (A) $10 COINS.—The reverse of the $10 

17 coins issued under this Act shall bear a design 

18 emblematic of the sacrifice of the United States 

19 astronauts who lost their lives in the line of 

20 duty over the course of the space program. 

21 (B) $5 COINS.—The reverse of the $5 

22 coins issued under this Act shall bear at least 

23 2 different designs—
6

•HR 4881 IH 

1 (i) 1 of which shall be emblematic of 

2 the Moon missions of the National Aero3 nautics and Space Administration; and 

4 (ii) 1 of which shall be emblematic of 

5 the Earth missions of the National Aero6 nautics and Space Administration. 

7 (C) $1 COINS.—

8 (i) OBVERSE.—The obverse of the $1 

9 coins issued under this Act shall honor the 

10 achievements of the Jet Propulsion Lab11 oratory and bear an image emblematic of 

12 the missions and achievements of the Lab13 oratory in the exploration of the solar sys14 tem. 

15 (ii) REVERSE.—The reverse of the $1 

16 coins issued under this Act shall bear 8 

17 different designs each of which shall con18 sist of an image of 1 of the 8 planets of 

19 the solar system, other than Earth, and be 

20 emblematic of the missions of the National 

21 Aeronautics and Space Administration and 

22 the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to such 

23 planet. 
7

•HR 4881 IH 

1 (D) HALF DOLLAR COINS.—The reverse of 

2 the half dollar coins shall bear an image of the 

3 universe. 

4 (4) REALISTIC AND SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE

5 DEPICTIONS.—The images for the designs of coins 

6 issued under this Act shall be selected on the basis 

7 of the realism and scientific accuracy of the images 

8 and on the extent to which the images are reminis9 cent of the dramatic and beautiful artwork on coins 

10 of the so-called ‘‘Golden Age of Coinage’’ in the 

11 United States, at the beginning of the Twentieth 

12 Century, with the participation of such noted sculp13 tors and medallic artists as James Earle Fraser, Au14 gustus Saint-Gaudens, Victor David Brenner, Ad15 olph A. Weinman, Charles E. Barber, and George T. 

16 Morgan. 

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

18 under this Act shall be—

19 (1) selected by the Secretary after consultation 

20 with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 

21 and Space Administration, the Director of the Jet 

22 Propulsion Laboratory, and the Commission of Fine 

23 Arts; and 

24 (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coin Advisory 

25 Committee. 
8

•HR 4881 IH 

1 SEC. 4. SYMBOLIC INCLUSION OF PRECIOUS METALS THAT 

2 HAVE FLOWN IN SPACE. 

3 (a) COLLECTION.—Each Federal agency and instru4 mentality of the United States, including the Department 

5 of Defense, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Aer6 onautics and Space Administration, and the Jet Propul7 sion Laboratory, that has in its possession any craft, or 

8 any part of a craft, that flew in space shall—

9 (1) retrieve any gold, silver, copper, and other 

10 precious metal that the Director of the United 

11 States Mint determines may be used in the produc12 tion of any coins under this Act, from such craft or 

13 part, that can be retrieved without harming any 

14 such craft or part that may be of continuing use for 

15 its original purpose or for research, or whose preser16 vation is appropriate for historical purposes; and 

17 (2) deposit such precious metals so retrieved 

18 with the Director of the United States Mint. 

19 (b) SEGREGATION AND RECORDKEEPING.—Each 

20 Federal agency and instrumentality of the United States 

21 which retrieves any precious metals in accordance with 

22 subsection (a), and the Director of the United States Mint 

23 with respect to precious metals deposited with the Mint 

24 in accordance with such subsection, shall maintain such 

25 precious metals separately from other metals not so re26 trieved or obtained and shall maintain accurate and com-
9

•HR 4881 IH 

1 plete records of the retrieval and deposit of any such pre2 cious metals. 

3 (c) USE OF PRECIOUS METALS IN PRODUCTION OF

4 COINS.—Any precious metals deposited with the Director 

5 of the United States Mint under subsection (a) shall be 

6 used in the production of the coins struck under this Act 

7 by blending such precious metals with other bullion nec8 essary for the production of such coins so that all of the 

9 coins produced under this Act will contain some propor10 tion of the bullion obtained from craft or parts of crafts 

11 that flew in space in an amount appropriate for the types 

12 and denominations of the coins and the amount of pre13 cious metals so deposited. 

14 SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 

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

16 Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. 

17 (b) SETS.—In issuing coins minted under this Act, 

18 the Secretary shall make not less than 25,000 sets of coins 

19 available for issuance each of which shall contain the coins 

20 of each denomination of the coins minted under this Act, 

21 including a coin bearing each design required for the re22 verse of any such denomination of coin. 

23 (c) MINT FACILITY.—Only 1 facility of the United 

24 States Mint may be used to strike any particular combina-
10

•HR 4881 IH 

1 tion of denomination and quality of the coins minted under 

2 this Act. 

3 (d) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary 

4 may issue coins minted under this Act beginning January 

5 1, 2008. 

6 (e) TERMINATION OF MINTING AUTHORITY.—No 

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

8 2008. 

9 SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 

10 (a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act 

11 shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum 

12 of—

13 (1) the face value of the coins; 

14 (2) the surcharge provided in section 6(a) with 

15 respect to such coins; and 

16 (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins 

17 (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 

18 overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping). 

19 (b) PREPAID ORDERS.—

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept 

21 prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act 

22 before the issuance of such coins. 

23 (2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre24 paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea25 sonable discount. 
11

•HR 4881 IH 

1 SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. 

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

3 this Act shall include a surcharge as follows: 

4 (1) A surcharge of $75 per coin for the $10 

5 coin. 

6 (2) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin. 

7 (3) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin. 

8 (4) A surcharge of $3 per coin for the half dol9 lar coin. 

10 (b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of 

11 title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by 

12 the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act 

13 shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the NASA 

14 Family Assistance Fund for the purposes of providing 

15 need-based financial assistance to the families of NASA 

16 personnel who die as a result of injuries suffered in the 

17 performance of their official duties. 

18 (c) AUDITS.—The NASA Family Assistance Fund 

19 shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 

20 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard 

21 to the amounts received by the under subsection (b).

Æ