Title: Aretha Franklin Congressional Gold Medal Act
Policy area: Arts, Culture, Religion

Summary:
Aretha Franklin Congressional Gold Medal Act
This bill instructs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Aretha Franklin in recognition of her outstanding artistic and historical significance to the culture of the United States.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3359 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3359

To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Aretha Franklin in 
recognition of her contributions of outstanding artistic and historical 
             significance to culture in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            August 21, 2018

   Ms. Harris (for herself, Mr. Hatch, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
Coons, Mr. Booker, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Carper, Mr. Jones, Ms. Hirono, 
    Ms. Warren, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Nelson, Ms. 
    Duckworth, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
 Whitehouse, and Ms. Hassan) introduced the following bill; which was 
read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Aretha Franklin in 
recognition of her contributions of outstanding artistic and historical 
             significance to culture in the United States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Aretha Franklin Congressional Gold 
Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) Aretha Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, 
        Tennessee and died peacefully at her home in Detroit, Michigan 
        surrounded by family and loved ones on August 16, 2018;
            (2) Aretha Franklin's musical talents have influenced 
        generations of musicians and political leaders, creating a 
        legacy that spans an incredible 6 decades;
            (3) Aretha Franklin, dubbed the ``Queen of Soul'', was the 
        first woman ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 
        was a 2005 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and 
        a 1999 recipient of the National Medal of Arts and Humanities 
        Award, among other accolades;
            (4) Aretha Franklin's music served as a 1960s call to 
        action that inspired thousands to join civil rights movements 
        and still resonates across these movements today;
            (5) Aretha Franklin's contributions go beyond music and 
        arts;
            (6) Aretha Franklin was also a philanthropist who supported 
        causes that advanced civil rights, human health, and gender 
        equality;
            (7) Aretha Franklin's talents instilled hope, uplifted 
        generations, and changed the lives of millions of people across 
        the globe;
            (8) the City of Detroit shaped Aretha's life and music, as 
        her father and church introduced her to local Motown artists; 
        and
            (9) in return, Aretha made countless contributions to the 
        City of Detroit and few people have played a greater role in 
        shaping the culturally and socially relevant discography in the 
        United States than Aretha Franklin.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make 
appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of 
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of 
Aretha Franklin, in recognition of her outstanding artistic and 
historical significance to the culture of the United States.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred 
to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this 
Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with 
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 
Secretary.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medal struck pursuant to section 3 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. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--The medal struck pursuant to this Act is a 
national medal for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code.
    (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 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 necessary 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 4 shall be deposited into the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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