I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2680 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration 
of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., in recognition of his important contribu-
tions to the Progressive movement, the State of Wisconsin, and the 
United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2007 
Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mr. OBEY, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. KIND, Mr. 
PETRI, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, and Mr. 
KAGEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 
in commemoration of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., in 
recognition of his important contributions to the Progres-
sive movement, the State of Wisconsin, and the United 
States. 
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 ‘‘Robert M. La Follette, 
Sr. Commemorative Coin Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Robert M. La Follette, Sr., better known as 
‘‘Fighting Bob’’ La Follette, was born more than 
150 years ago, on June 14, 1855, in Primrose, Wis-
consin. 
(2) Fighting Bob was elected to 3 terms in the 
United States House of Representatives, 3 terms as 
Governor of Wisconsin, and 4 terms as a United 
States Senator. 
(3) Fighting Bob founded the Progressive wing 
of the Republican Party. 
(4) Fighting Bob was a lifelong supporter of 
civil rights and women’s suffrage, earning respect 
and support from such distinguished Americans as 
Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman Upton. 
(5) Fighting Bob helped to make the ‘‘Wis-
consin Idea’’ a reality at the Federal and State level, 
instituting election reforms, environmental conserva-
tion, railroad rate regulation, increased education 
funding, and business regulation. 
(6) Fighting Bob was a principal advocate for 
the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States, which calls for the election of 
United States Senators by popular vote. 
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(7) Fighting Bob delivered an historic speech, 
‘‘Free Speech in Wartime’’, opposing the public per-
secution of those who sought to hold their Govern-
ment accountable. 
(8) Fighting Bob played a key role in exposing 
the corruption during the Teapot Dome Scandal. 
(9) Fighting Bob and his wife, Belle Case La 
Follette, founded La Follette’s Weekly, now renamed 
The Progressive, a monthly magazine for the Pro-
gressive community. 
(10) Fighting Bob ran for the presidency on 
the Progressive ticket in 1924, winning more than 
17 percent of the popular vote. 
(11) The Library of Congress recognized Fight-
ing Bob in 1985 by naming the Congressional Re-
search Service reading room in the Madison Build-
ing in honor of both Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and 
his son, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., for their shared 
commitment to the development of a legislative re-
search service to support the United States Con-
gress. 
(12) Fighting Bob was honored in 1929 with 1 
of 2 statues representing the State of Wisconsin in 
National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol. 
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(13) Fighting Bob was chosen as 1 of ‘‘Five 
Outstanding Senators’’ by the Special Committee on 
the Senate Reception Room in 1957. 
(14) A portrait of Fighting Bob was unveiled in 
the Senate Reception Room in March 1959. 
(15) Fighting Bob was revered by his sup-
porters for his unwavering support of his ideals, and 
for his tenacious pursuit of a more just and account-
able Government. 
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 
(a) $1 SILVER COINS.—The Secretary of the Treas-
ury (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint 
and issue not more than 500,000 $1 coins in commemora-
tion of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., 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. 
(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 
5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins 
minted under this Act shall be considered to be numis-
matic items. 
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SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The design of the coins 
minted under this Act shall be developed in consulta-
tion with artists from the State of Wisconsin, and 
shall be emblematic of the life and accomplishments 
of Robert M. La Follette, Sr. 
(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 in which the 
coin is minted; 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 artists from the State of Wisconsin 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. 
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(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 calendar 
year beginning on January 1, 2008. 
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 
(a) SALE PRICE.—The coins minted 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 minted under 
this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin. 
(c) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk 
sales of the coins minted under this Act at a reasonable 
discount. 
(d) PREPAID ORDERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept 
prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act 
before the issuance of such coins. 
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(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre-
paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea-
sonable discount. 
SEC. 7. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES. 
Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United States 
Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the 
sale of coins minted under this Act shall be deposited into 
the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. 
SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. 
(a) NO NET COST TO THE GOVERNMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall take such actions as may be necessary to en-
sure that minting and issuing coins under this Act will 
not result in any net cost to the United States Govern-
ment. 
(b) PAYMENT FOR COINS.—A coin shall not be issued 
under this Act unless the Secretary has received— 
(1) full payment for the coin; 
(2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to in-
demnify the United States for full payment; or 
(3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to 
the Secretary from a depository institution whose 
deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insur-
ance Corporation or the National Credit Union Ad-
ministration Board. 
Æ 
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