I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2679 
To authorize the President to posthumously award a gold medal on behalf 
of the Congress to Robert M. La Follette, Sr., in recognition of his 
important contributions to the Progressive movement, the State of Wis-
consin, and the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2007 
Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mr. OBEY, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. KIND, Mr. 
PETRI, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, and Mr. 
KAGEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To authorize the President to posthumously award a gold 
medal on behalf of the Congress to Robert M. La 
Follette, Sr., in recognition of his important contribu-
tions to the Progressive movement, the State of Wis-
consin, and the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Robert M. La Follette, Sr., better known as 
‘‘Fighting Bob’’ La Follette, was born more than 
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150 years ago, on June 14, 1855, in Primrose, Wis-
consin. 
(2) Fighting Bob was elected to 3 terms in the 
United States House of Representatives, 3 terms as 
Governor of Wisconsin, and 4 terms as a United 
States Senator. 
(3) Fighting Bob founded the Progressive wing 
of the Republican Party. 
(4) Fighting Bob was a lifelong supporter of 
civil rights and women’s suffrage, earning respect 
and support from such distinguished Americans as 
Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman Upton. 
(5) Fighting Bob helped to make the ‘‘Wis-
consin Idea’’ a reality at the Federal and State level, 
instituting election reforms, environmental conserva-
tion, railroad rate regulation, increased education 
funding, and business regulation. 
(6) Fighting Bob was a principal advocate for 
the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States, which calls for the election of 
United States Senators by popular vote. 
(7) Fighting Bob delivered an historic speech, 
‘‘Free Speech in Wartime’’, opposing the public per-
secution of those who sought to hold their Govern-
ment accountable. 
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(8) Fighting Bob played a key role in exposing 
the corruption during the Teapot Dome Scandal. 
(9) Fighting Bob and his wife, Belle Case La 
Follette, founded La Follette’s Weekly, now renamed 
The Progressive, a monthly magazine for the Pro-
gressive community. 
(10) Fighting Bob ran for the presidency on 
the Progressive ticket in 1924, winning more than 
17 percent of the popular vote. 
(11) The Library of Congress recognized Fight-
ing Bob in 1985 by naming the Congressional Re-
search Service reading room in the Madison Build-
ing in honor of both Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and 
his son, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., for their shared 
commitment to the development of a legislative re-
search service to support the United States Con-
gress. 
(12) Fighting Bob was honored in 1929 with 1 
of 2 statues representing the State of Wisconsin in 
National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol. 
(13) Fighting Bob was chosen as 1 of ‘‘Five 
Outstanding Senators’’ by the Special Committee on 
the Senate Reception Room in 1957. 
(14) A portrait of Fighting Bob was unveiled in 
the Senate Reception Room in March 1959. 
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(15) Fighting Bob was revered by his sup-
porters for his unwavering support of his ideals, and 
for his tenacious pursuit of a more just and account-
able Government. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The President is 
authorized, on behalf of the Congress, to posthumously 
award a gold medal of appropriate design to Robert M. 
La Follette, Sr., in recognition of his important contribu-
tions to the Progressive movement, the State of Wisconsin, 
and the United States. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the 
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 
of the Treasury (in this Act referred to 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. 
Under such regulations as the Secretary may pre-
scribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 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. 
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SEC. 4. STATUS AS NATIONAL MEDALS. 
The medals struck under this Act are national medals 
for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 
Public Enterprise Fund such sum as may be appropriate 
to pay for the cost of the medals authorized under 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. 
Æ 
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