I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 188 
To posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to Shirley Chisholm. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2005 
Mr. RANGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to 
Shirley Chisholm. 
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 ‘‘Shirley Chisholm Con-
gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) Shirley Chisholm was a pioneer: she was the 
first African American woman elected to Congress in 
1968 where she served until 1982.
(2) Shirley Chisholm inspired and led the 
march of political achievement by African Americans 
and women in the three decades since she ran for 
the Presidency of the United States. 
(3) Her election to Congress and her candidacy 
for the Presidency raised the profile and aspirations 
of all African Americans and women in the field of 
politics. 
(4) Shirley Chisholm was recognized for her ac-
tivism, independence, and ground-breaking achieve-
ments in politics during and after the civil rights 
era. 
(5) Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, 
New York, on November 30, 1924, attended Brook-
lyn College, and earned a Master’s degree from Co-
lumbia University. 
(6) Shirley Chisholm worked in education and 
social services before being elected to the New York 
State Assembly in 1964. 
(7) Shirley Chisholm established the Unity 
Democratic Club in 1960, which played a significant 
role in rallying black and Hispanic voters in New 
York City. 
(8) In 1969, Shirley Chisholm began her service 
in the 91st Congress, representing Brooklyn’s 12th
Congressional District in the United States House of 
Representatives. 
(9) During her service in the House of Rep-
resentatives, Shirley Chisholm promoted the employ-
ment of women in Congress and was vocal in her 
support of civil rights, women’s rights, and the poor, 
while fervently opposing the Vietnam War. 
(10) In 1972, Shirley Chisholm was the first 
African-American to seek the nomination of a major 
party for President of the United States. 
(11) Shirley Chisholm was a co-founder of the 
National Organization for Women. 
(12) An historic figure in American political 
history, Shirley Chisholm died at the age of 80 in 
Ormond Beach, Florida, on New Year’s Day, 2005. 
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 
the House of Representatives and the President pro tem-
pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 
for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of the Con-
gress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemo-
ration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, 
independence, and ground-breaking achievements in poli-
tics, her election as the first African-American woman in 
the Congress, and her campaign to be the first African-
American to gain the nomination of a major political party 
for President of the United States. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the 
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 
of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, 
devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec-
retary. 
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 
under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at 
a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, 
and the cost of the gold medal. 
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu-
ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 
51 of title 31, United States Code. 
(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 
5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 
under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF 
SALE. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is 
authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 
Public Enterprise Fund, such amounts as may be nec-
essary to pay for the costs of the medals struck pursuant 
to this Act. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the 
sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 
3 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public 
Enterprise Fund. 
Æ