H. R. 2248
One Hundred Fifth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven
An Act
To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress
to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in recognition of his outstanding and
enduring contributions toward religious understanding and peace, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew—
(A) is the spiritual leader of nearly 300 million
Orthodox Christians around the world and millions of
Orthodox Christians in America; and
(B) is recognized in the United States and abroad
as a leader in the quest for world peace, respect for the
Earth’s environment, and greater religious understanding;
(2) the extraordinary efforts of Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew continue to bring people of all faiths closer
together in America and around the world;
(3) the courageous leadership of Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew for peace in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the
Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, and elsewhere
inspires and encourages people of all faiths toward his dream
of world peace in the new millennium; and
(4) the outstanding accomplishments of Ecumenical Patri-
arch Bartholomew have been formally recognized and honored
by numerous governmental, academic, and other institutions
around the world.
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 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in recognition of his
outstanding and enduring contributions to religious understanding
and peace.
(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 emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined
by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the
gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such regulations
H. R. 2248—2
as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a price sufficient to cover
the costs thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery,
overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals
for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There is hereby
authorized to be charged against the Numismatic Public Enterprise
Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of
the medal authorized by this Act.
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sales of
duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the
Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.