SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Charles M. Schulz was born on November
26, 1922, in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Carl
and Dena Schulz.
(2) Charles M. Schulz served his country in
World War II, working his way up from infantryman
to staff sergeant and eventually leading a machine
gun squad. He kept morale high by decorating fellow
soldiers’ letters home with cartoons of barracks life.
(3) After returning from the war, Charles M.
Schulz returned to his love for illustration and took
a job with ‘‘Timeless Topix’’. He also took a second
job as an art instructor. Eventually his hard work
paid off when the Saturday Evening Post began pur-
chasing a number of his single comic panels.
(4) It was in his first weekly comic strip, ‘‘L’il
Folks’’, that Charlie Brown was born. That comic
strip, which was eventually renamed ‘‘Peanuts’’, be-
came the sole focus of Charles M. Schulz’s career.
(5) Charles M. Schulz has drawn every frame
of his strip, which runs seven days a week, since it
was created in October 1950. This is rare dedication
in the field of comic illustration.
(6) The ‘‘Peanuts’’ comic strip appears in
2,600 newspapers around the world and reaches ap-
proximately 335 million readers every day in 20 dif-
ferent languages. Because of this, Charles M. Schulz
is the most successful comic illustrator in the world.
(7) Charles M. Schulz’s television special, ‘‘A
Charlie Brown Christmas’’, has run for 34 consecu-
tive years. In all, more than 60 animated specials
have been created based on ‘‘Peanuts’’ characters.
Four feature films, 1,400 books, and a hit Broadway
musical about the ‘‘Peanuts’’ characters have also
been produced.
(8) Charles M. Schulz is a leader in the field
of comic illustration and in his community. He has
paved the way for other artists in this field over the
last 50 years and continues to be praised for his out-
standing achievements.
(9) Charles M. Schulz has given back to his
community in many ways, including owning and op-
erating Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa,
California. The arena has become a favorite gath-
ering spot for people of all ages. Charles M. Schulz
finances a yearly ice show that draws crowds from
all over the San Francisco Bay Area.
(10) Charles M. Schulz has given the Nation a
unique sense of optimism, purpose, and pride.
Whether through the Great Pumpkin Patch, the
Kite Eating Tree, Lucy’s Psychiatric Help Stand, or
Snoopy’s adventures with the Red Baron, ‘‘Peanuts’’
has embodied human vulnerabilities, emotions, and
potential.
(11) Charles M. Schulz’s lifetime of work has
linked generations of Americans and has become a
part of the fabric of our national culture.
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 Charles M. Schulz in rec-
ognition of his lasting artistic contributions to the Nation
and the world.
(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, overhead expenses, and
the cost of the gold medal.
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.
Passed the House of Representatives February 15,
2000.
Attest:
Clerk.