I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3793
To provide for a 10-year circulating commemorative coin program to
commemorate each of the 50 States, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 11, 1996
Mr. CASTLE (for himself, Mr. FLAKE, and Mr. LUCAS) introduced the follow-
ing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial
Services
A BILL
To provide for a 10-year circulating commemorative coin
program to commemorate each of the 50 States, and
for other purposes.
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 ‘‘50 States Commemo-
rative Coin Program Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress hereby finds the following:
(1) It is appropriate and timely to—
(A) honor the unique Federal republic of
50 States that comprise the United States; and
(B) promote the diffusion of knowledge
among the youth of the United States about the
individual States, their history and geography,
and the rich diversity of the national heritage.
(2) The circulating coinage of the United States
has not been modernized within the past 25 years.
(3) A circulating commemorative 25-cent coin
program could produce earnings of $110,000,000
over the 10-year period of issuance and would
produce 
indirect 
earnings 
of 
an 
estimated
$3,400,000,000 to the United States Treasury,
money that will replace borrowing to fund the na-
tional debt to at least that extent.
(4) It is appropriate to launch a commemora-
tive circulating coin program that encourages young
people and their families to collect memorable tokens
of all the States for the face value of the coins.
SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF REDESIGNED QUARTER DOLLARS
OVER 
10-YEAR 
PERIOD 
COMMEMORATING
EACH OF THE 50 STATES.
Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(k) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF QUARTER DOL-
LAR IN COMMEMORATION OF EACH OF THE 50 STATES.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the 4th
sentence of subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2),
quarter dollar coins issued during the 10-year period
beginning on January 1, 1997, shall have designs
selected in accordance with this subsection which are
emblematic of the 50 States.
‘‘(2) SINGLE STATE DESIGNS.—The design for
each quarter dollar issued during the 10-year period
referred to in paragraph (1) shall be emblematic of
1 of the 50 States.
‘‘(3) ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING 5
STATES DURING EACH OF THE 10 YEARS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The designs for the
quarter dollar coins issued during each year of
the 10-year period referred to in paragraph (1)
shall be emblematic of 5 States which have not
previously been commemorated during such pe-
riod.
‘‘(B) NUMBER OF EACH OF 5 COIN DE-
SIGNS IN EACH YEAR.—Of the quarter dollar
coins issued during each year (of the 10-year
period referred to in paragraph (1)), the Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall prescribe, on the
basis of such factors as the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate, the number of quarter
dollars which shall be issued with each of the 5
designs selected for such year.
‘‘(4) SELECTION OF DESIGN.—Each of the 50
designs required under this subsection for quarter
dollars shall be—
‘‘(A) selected by the Secretary after con-
sultation with appropriate officials of the State
being commemorated with such design and the
Commission of Fine Arts; and
‘‘(B) reviewed by the Citizens Commemo-
rative Coin Advisory Committee.
‘‘(5) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For
purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins mint-
ed under this subsection shall be considered to be
numismatic items.
‘‘(6) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—
‘‘(A) QUALITY OF COINS.—The Secretary
may mint and issue such number of quarter
dollars of each design selected under paragraph
(4) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
‘‘(B) 
SILVER
COINS.—Notwithstanding
subsection (b), the Secretary may mint and
issue such number of quarter dollars of each
design selected under paragraph (4) as the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate with a con-
tent of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
‘‘(C) SOURCES
OF
BULLION.—The Sec-
retary shall obtain silver for minting coins
under subparagraph (B) only from stockpiles
established under the Strategic and Critical
Materials Stock Piling Act.
‘‘(D) SALE PRICE OF COINS.—The coins
issued under this paragraph shall be sold by the
Secretary at a price equal to the sum of the
face value of the coins and the cost of designing
and issuing the coins (including labor, mate-
rials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, profit, and shipping).
SEC. 4. FIXED TERMS FOR MEMBERS OF THE CITIZENS
COMMEMORATIVE COIN ADVISORY COMMIT-
TEE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (4) of section 5135(a)
of title 31, United States Code, is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘(4) TERMS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Each individual ap-
pointed to the Advisory Committee under clause
(i) or (iii) of paragraph (3)(A) shall be ap-
pointed for a term of 4 years.
‘‘(B) 
INTERIM
APPOINTMENTS.—Any
member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring
before the expiration of the term for which such
member’s predecessor was appointed shall be
appointed only for the remainder of such term.
‘‘(C) CONTINUATION
OF
SERVICE.—Each
member appointed under clause (i) or (iii) of
paragraph (3)(A) may continue to serve after
the expiration of the term to which such mem-
ber was appointed until a successor has been
appointed and qualified.’’.
(b) STAGGERED TERMS.—Of the members appointed
to the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee
under clause (i) or (iii) of paragraph (3)(A) of section
5135 of title 31, United States Code, who are serving on
the Advisory Committee as of the date of the enactment
of this Act—
(1) 1 member appointed under clause (i) and 1
member appointed under clause (iii), as designated
by the Secretary of the Treasury, shall be deemed to
have been appointed to a term which ends on De-
cember 31, 1997;
(2) 1 member appointed under clause (i) and 1
member appointed under clause (iii), as designated
by the Secretary of the Treasury, shall be deemed to
have been appointed to a term which ends on De-
cember 31, 1998; and
(3) 1 member appointed under clause (i) and 1
member appointed under clause (iii), as designated
by the Secretary of the Treasury, shall be deemed to
have been appointed to a term which ends on De-
cember 31, 1999.
(c) STATUS OF MEMBERS.—The members appointed
to the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee
under clause (i) or (iii) of paragraph (3)(A) of section
5135 of title 31, United States Code, shall not be treated
as special Government employees.
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