I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1077 
To posthumously award a congressional gold medal to Constance Baker Mot-
ley, in recognition of her enduring contributions and service to the 
United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 17, 2023 
Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. CLARKE of New 
York, and Mr. TORRES of New York) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To posthumously award a congressional gold medal to Con-
stance Baker Motley, in recognition of her enduring con-
tributions and service to 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. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Congressional Tribute 
to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Constance Baker Motley was born in 1921, 
in New Haven, Connecticut, the daughter of immi-
grants from the Caribbean island of Nevis. 
(2) In 1943, Constance Baker Motley grad-
uated from New York University with a Bachelor of 
Arts degree in economics. 
(3) Upon receiving a law degree from Columbia 
University in 1946, Constance Baker Motley became 
a staff attorney at the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People Legal Defense and 
Educational Fund, Inc. (in this Act referred to as 
the ‘‘LDF’’), and fought tirelessly for 2 decades 
alongside Thurgood Marshall and other leading civil 
rights lawyers to dismantle segregation throughout 
the United States. 
(4) Constance Baker Motley was the only fe-
male attorney on the LDF legal team that won the 
landmark desegregation case, Brown v. Board of 
Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). 
(5) Constance Baker Motley argued 10 major 
civil rights cases before the Supreme Court, winning 
all but one, including the case brought on behalf of 
James Meredith challenging the refusal of the Uni-
versity of Mississippi to admit him. 
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(11) The appointment of Constance Baker Mot-
ley made her the first African-American woman, and 
only the fifth woman, appointed and confirmed for 
a Federal judgeship. 
(12) In 1982, Constance Baker Motley was ele-
vated to Chief Judge of the United States District 
Court for the Southern District of New York, the 
largest Federal trial court in the United States. 
(13) Constance Baker Motley assumed senior 
status in 1986, and continued serving on the United 
States District Court for the Southern District of 
New York with distinction for nearly 2 decades. 
(14) Constance Baker Motley passed away on 
September 28, 2005, and is survived by her son, 
Joel W. Motley III, 3 grandchildren, and nieces and 
nephews in Connecticut and in other States. 
(15) September 14, 2021, was the 100th anni-
versary of the birth of Constance Baker Motley. 
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The President 
pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives are authorized to make appropriate ar-
rangements for the posthumous award, on behalf of Con-
gress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemo-
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ration of Constance Baker Motley, in recognition of her 
enduring contributions and service to the United States. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—For the purpose of the 
award 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 em-
blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by 
the Secretary. 
(2) IMAGE.—The emblems, devices, and inscrip-
tions determined by the Secretary shall include an 
image of Constance Baker Motley and an inscription 
of the name of Constance Baker Motley. 
(c) PRESENTATION.—With respect to the award de-
scribed under subsection (a), the award shall be presented 
to Constance Baker Motley’s son, Joel Motley III, and her 
niece, Constance Royster. 
(d) DISPOSITION OF MEDAL.—Following the award 
of the gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal 
shall be given to Joel Motley III. 
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price 
sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, mate-
rials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 
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SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDAL.—All 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. 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 under 
this Act. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the 
sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 
4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public 
Enterprise Fund. 
Æ 
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