I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2978
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of all the brave and gallant Puerto Ricans in the 65th Infantry Regiment
of the United States Army who fought in the Korean conflict.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 9, 1997
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. GUTIERREZ, and Mr. SERRANO) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Banking and
Financial Services
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins
in commemoration of all the brave and gallant Puerto
Ricans in the 65th Infantry Regiment of the United
States Army who fought in the Korean conflict.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘65th Infantry Regiment Commemorative Coin Act’’.
(b) FINDINGS.—The Congress hereby finds that the
brave and gallant soldiers from the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico who comprised the 65th Infantry Regiment
of the United States Army deserve a special commemora-
tion and a commemorative coin for their contributions
during the Korean conflict for the following reasons:
(1) The Puerto Rican soldiers of the 65th In-
fantry Regiment unselfishly fought, bled, and died
for the rights and privileges of all citizens of the
United States and the Republic of Korea.
(2) 129 soldiers of the United States Army’s
65th Infantry Regiment were awarded the Silver
Star and 8 received the Distinguished Service Cross
for their heroism during the Korean conflict.
(3) The 65th Infantry Regiment went to the
rescue of the 1st Division of the United States Ma-
rine Corps in Hagaru-ri when that division was sur-
rounded by forces of the Peoples Republic of China,
provided a safe corridor through which the Marines
escaped, and formed a protective rear guard during
the retreat to Hungnam.
(4) After bitter fighting, and with the forces of
the Peoples Republic of China on their heels, the
65th Infantry Regiment was the last regiment to
leave the beachhead in the Christmas eve evacuation
of Hungnam on December 24, 1950.
(5) On the night of February 13–14, 1951,
while the 65th Infantry Regiment was encamped
near the command post of the 3d Infantry Division
of the United States Army during a rest and recre-
ation leave away from the front lines, the command
post of the 3d Infantry Division was attacked by
over 1,000 North Korean soldiers who had infil-
trated through the front lines without being detected
and the 65th Infantry Regiment rallied, attacked,
and subsequently destroyed the North Korean force,
thereby saving the commanding officer and staff of
the 3d Infantry Division from death or capture.
(6) For their heroism in battle, the soldiers of
the 65th Infantry Regiment were showered with
many accolades but for them perhaps the most sig-
nificant and meaningful came in the form of a letter
from the commander of the United Nations forces in
Korea, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur
which read in part as follows:
‘‘The Puerto Ricans forming the ranks of the gallant
65th Infantry Division on the battlefields of Korea by
valor, determination and a resolute will to victory give
daily testament to their invincible loyalty to the United
States and the fervor of their devotion to those immutable
standards of human relations to which the Americans and
the Puerto Ricans are in common dedicated. They are
writing a brilliant record of achievement in battle and I
am proud indeed to have them in this command. I wish
that we might have many more like them.’’.
SEC. 2. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) $1 SILVER COINS.—In commemoration of all the
Puerto Ricans in the 65th Infantry Regiment of the
United States Army who fought in the Korean conflict,
the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and issue not
more than 60,000 1 dollar coins, which shall—
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent
copper.
(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this
Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of
title 31, United States Code.
(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section
5134 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted
under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 3. SOURCES OF BULLION.
The Secretary shall obtain silver for minting coins
under this Act only from stockpiles established under the
Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The design of the coins
minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the
courage and valor of the Puerto Ricans who served
in the 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean
conflict.
(2) DESIGNATION
AND
INSCRIPTIONS.—On
each coin minted under this Act there shall be—
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year ‘‘1999’’; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’,
‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer-
ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’.
(b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted
under this Act shall be—
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Puerto
Rican Veterans Association of Massachusetts, the
Puerto Rican-American Research Institute, and the
Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative
Coin Advisory Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this
Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept
prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act
before the issuance of such coins.
(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre-
paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea-
sonable discount.
(d) SURCHARGES.—All sales shall include a sur-
charge of $10 per coin.
SEC. 7. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULA-
TIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection
(b), no provision of law governing procurement or public
contracts shall be applicable to the procurement of goods
and services necessary for carrying out the provisions of
this Act.
(b) EQUAL
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY.—Sub-
section (a) shall not relieve any person entering into a con-
tract under the authority of this Act from complying with
any law relating to equal employment opportunity.
SEC. 8. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—All surcharges received by the
Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall
be promptly deposited in the Korean War Veterans Memo-
rial Fund for use by the American Battle Monuments
Commission in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) USE OF PROCEEDS.—
(1) COSTS
RELATING
TO
THE
KOREAN
WAR
VETERANS MEMORIAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), amounts deposited in the Korean War
Veterans Memorial Fund pursuant to subsection (a)
shall be available to the American Battle Monuments
Commission for the uses described in section 8(b) of
Public Law 101–495.
(2) CEREMONY
FOR
THE
65TH
REGIMENT.—
The American Battle Monuments Commission shall
use such amount of the surcharges from the sale of
coins issued as the Commission determines to be
necessary and appropriate, after consulting with the
Puerto Rican Veterans Association of Massachusetts
and the Puerto Rican-American Research Institute,
to conduct a ceremony at the Korean War Veterans
Memorial commemorating the Puerto Ricans com-
prising the 65th Infantry Regiment of the United
States Army for their service and contributions dur-
ing the Korean conflict.
(c) AUDITS.—The Comptroller General of the United
States shall have the right to examine such books, records,
documents, and other data of the American Battle Monu-
ments Commission as may be related to the expenditures
of amounts paid under subsection (a).
SEC. 9. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
(a) NO NET COST TO THE GOVERNMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall take such actions as may be necessary to en-
sure that minting and issuing coins under this Act will
not result in any net cost to the United States Govern-
ment.
(b) PAYMENT FOR COINS.—A coin shall not be issued
under this Act unless the Secretary has received—
(1) full payment for the coin;
(2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to in-
demnify the United States for full payment; or
(3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to
the Secretary from a depository institution whose
deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insur-
ance Corporation or the National Credit Union Ad-
ministration Board.
Æ