I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1609 
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Constantino Brumidi. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 20, 2007 
Mr. PASCRELL (for himself, Mr. RENZI, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. 
BILIRAKIS, Mr. SPACE, and Mr. MICA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to 
Constantino Brumidi. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) On July 26, 1805, Constantino Brumidi 
was born in Rome, Italy of an Italian mother and 
a Greek father who inspired him with a love of lib-
erty. 
(2) While Constantino Brumidi’s Greek ances-
try stirred his passion for liberty and citizenship, his 
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Italian heritage provided the art styles of the Ren-
aissance and the Baroque which influenced the art-
work of the United States Capitol. 
(3) Constantino Brumidi became a citizen of 
the United States as soon as he was able, embracing 
its history, values, and ideals. 
(4) Beginning in 1855, Constantino Brumidi 
designed and decorated one House and five Senate 
committee rooms in the Capitol, as well as the Sen-
ate Reception Room, the Office of the Vice Presi-
dent, and, most notably, the President’s Room, 
which represents Brumidi’s supreme effort ‘‘to make 
beautiful the Capitol’’ of the United States. 
(5) In 1865 Constantino Brumidi completed in 
just 11 months his masterpiece, ‘‘The Apotheosis of 
Washington,’’ in the eye of the Capitol dome. 
(6) In 1871 Constantino Brumidi created the 
first tribute to an African American in the Capitol 
when he placed the figure of Crispus Attucks at the 
center of his fresco of the Boston Massacre. 
(7) In 1878 Constantino Brumidi at the age of 
72 and in poor health, began work on the Rotunda 
frieze, which chronicles the history of America. 
(8) On February 19, 1880, Constantino 
Brumidi died at the age of 74, four and a half 
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months after slipping and nearly falling from a scaf-
fold while working on the Rotunda frieze. 
(9) Constantino Brumidi, proud of his artistic 
accomplishments and devoted to his adopted coun-
try, said, ‘‘My one ambition and my daily prayer is 
that I may live long enough to make beautiful the 
Capitol of the one country on earth in which there 
is liberty.’’. 
(10) Constantino Brumidi’s life and work exem-
plify the lives of millions of immigrants who came to 
pursue the American dream. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of 
the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for 
the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold 
medal of appropriate design in recognition of the 
contributions of Constantino Brumidi to the Nation. 
(2) DISPLAY OF MEDAL IN CAPITOL VISITOR 
CENTER.—The Architect of the Capitol shall arrange 
for the gold medal presented under this subsection 
to be displayed in the Capitol Visitor Center as part 
of an exhibit honoring Constantino Brumidi. 
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(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. 3. 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. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck under 
this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 
of title 31, United States Code. 
(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 
5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals 
struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic 
items. 
SEC. 5. 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 
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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 
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