108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3277
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins
in commemoration of the 230th Anniversary of the
United States Marine Corps, and to support construction
of the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Marine Corps 230th
Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) November 10, 2005, marks the 230th anni-
versary of the United States Marine Corps;
(2) the United States Marine Corps has, over
the course of its illustrious 230-year history, fought
gallantly in defense of the United States;
(3) the United States Marine Corps has, over
the course of its storied history, established itself as
the Nation’s military leader in amphibious warfare,
and will continue in that role as the United States
faces the challenges of the 21st Century;
(4) the United States Marine Corps continues
to exemplify the warrior ethos that has made it a
fighting force of international repute;
(5) all Americans should commemorate the leg-
acy of the United States Marine Corps so that the
values embodied in the ‘‘Corps’’ are recognized for
the significant contribution they have made in pro-
tecting the United States against its enemies;
(6) in 2001, the Congress authorized the con-
struction of the Marine Corps Heritage Center, the
purpose of which is to provide a multipurpose facil-
ity to be used for historical displays for the public
viewing, curation, and storage of artifacts, research
facilities, classrooms, offices, and associated activi-
ties, consistent with the mission of the Marine
Corps;
(7) the Marine Corps Heritage Center is sched-
uled to open on November 10, 2005;
(8) the United States should pay tribute to the
230th anniversary of the United States Marine
Corps by minting and issuing a commemorative sil-
ver dollar coin; and
(9) the surcharge proceeds from the sale of a
commemorative coin, which would have no net costs
to the taxpayers, would raise valuable funding for
the construction of the Marine Corps Heritage Cen-
ter.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) $1 SILVER COINS.—The Secretary of the Treas-
ury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’)
shall mint and issue not more than 500,000 $1 coins, each
of which shall—
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent
copper.
(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this
Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of
title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The design of the coins
minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the
warrior ethos of the United States Marine Corps.
(2) DESIGNATION
AND
INSCRIPTIONS.—On
each coin minted under this Act, there shall be—
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2005’’; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’,
‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer-
ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’.
(b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted
under this Act shall be—
(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation
with the Marine Corps Historical Division and the
Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory
Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this
Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) MINT FACILITY.—Only 1 facility of the United
States Mint may be used to strike any particular quality
of the coins minted under this Act.
(c) PERIOD
FOR ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may
issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year
period beginning on January 1, 2005.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act
shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum
of—
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in subsection (b)
with respect to such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery,
overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).
(b) SURCHARGES.—All sales of coins issued under
this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
(c) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk
sales of coins issued under this Act at a reasonable dis-
count.
(d) PREPAID ORDERS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept
prepaid orders for coins minted under this Act be-
fore the issuance of such coins.
(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre-
paid orders under paragraph (1) should be at a rea-
sonable discount.
(e) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (b), no
surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance
under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as
of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin
would result in the number of commemorative coin pro-
grams issued during such year to exceed the annual 2
commemorative coin program issuance limitation under
section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The Sec-
retary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out
this subsection.
SEC. 7. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.
(a) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of
title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by
the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act
shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Marine
Corps Heritage Foundation for the purposes of construc-
tion of the Marine Corps Heritage Center, as authorized
by section 1 of Public Law 106–398 (114 Stat. 1654).
(b) AUDIT.—The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
shall be subject to the audit requirements of section
5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard
to the amounts received under subsection (a).
Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2004.
Attest:
Clerk.