I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3156
To present a congressional gold medal to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 4, 1998
Mr. HOUGHTON (for himself, Mr. GINGRICH, Mr. GEPHARDT, Ms. WATERS,
Mr. GILMAN, Mr. HAMILTON, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr.
CHABOT, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SANFORD, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr.
CAMPBELL, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr.
HALL of Ohio, and Mr. MCDERMOTT) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services
A BILL
To present a congressional gold medal to Nelson Rolihlahla
Mandela.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Nelson Mandela has dedicated his entire life
to the abolition of apartheid and the creation of a
true democracy in the Republic of South Africa and
has sacrificed his own personal freedom for the good
of everyone.
(2) For nearly 30 years as a political prisoner,
Nelson Mandela never compromised his political
principles, was a source of strength and education
for other political prisoners, and refused offers of
freedom in exchange for a renunciation of his per-
sonal and political beliefs.
(3) After his release from prison, Nelson
Mandela continued to pursue his goal of a free
South Africa, and was elected and subsequently in-
augurated as State President of the Republic of
South Africa on May 10, 1994, at the age of 75
years.
(4) Nelson Mandela’s dedication to freedom did
not cease once the apartheid laws were lifted, as he
then focused his efforts toward reconciliation by cre-
ating the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
chaired by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
(5) Nelson Mandela is the recipient of many
awards and accolades, including the Nobel Peace
Prize (which he accepted with then-State President
F.W. de Klerk in 1993), and more than 50 honorary
degrees from universities around the world.
(6) Millions of individuals of all races and back-
grounds in the United States and around the world
followed Nelson Mandela’s example and fought for
the abolition of apartheid in the Republic of South
Africa and in this regard the Congress recognizes
Amy Elizabeth Biehl, an American student who lost
her life in the struggle to free South Africa from ra-
cial oppression, and the spirit of forgiveness and rec-
onciliation displayed by her parents, Peter and
Linda Biehl.
(7) Nelson Mandela is a prime example of how
to work to heal the wounds of racism.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The President is
authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold
medal of appropriate design to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
in recognition of his life-long dedication to the abolition
of apartheid and the promotion of reconciliation among
the people of the Republic of South Africa.
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary
of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the
‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable em-
blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the
Secretary.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary may pre-
scribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 2 at a price
sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor,
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck under this Act are national medals
for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There is hereby authorized to
be charged against the United States Mint Public Enter-
prise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for
the cost of the medals authorized by this Act.
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the
sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be
deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise
Fund.
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