Bicentennial of the United States Congress Commemorative Coin Act
PL 100-378 (H.R.3251), enacted 08/01/1988

PUBLIC LAW 100-378—AUG. 1. 1988 
102 STAT. 887 
Public Law 100-378 
100th Congress 
An Act 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 
Bicentennial of the United States Congress. 
Aug. 1, 1988 
[H.R. 3251] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Bicentennial of 
the United 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
States Congress 
This Act may be cited as the "Bicentennial of the United States coin Act. 
Congress Commemorative Coin Act". 
SEC. 2. SPECIFICATIONS OF COINS. 
(a) FIVE DOLLAR GOLD COINS.— 
(1) ISSUANCE.—The Secretary of the Treasury (hereinafter in 
this Act referred to as the "Secretary") shall mint and issue not 
more than 1,000,000 five dollar coins each of which shall— 
(A) weigh 8.859 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of .850 inches; and 
(C) be composed of 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy. 
(2) DESIGN.—The design of the five dollar coins shall, in 
accordance with section 4, be emblematic of the Bicentennial of 
the United States Congress. Each five dollar coin shall bear a 
designation of the value of the coin, an inscription of the year 
"1989", and inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God We 
Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum". 
O
t
)
) ONE DOLLAR SILVER COINS.— 
(1) ISSUANCE.—The Secretary shall mint and issue not more 
than 10,000,000 one dollar coins each of which shall— 
(A) weigh 26.73 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 
(C) be composed of 90 percent silver and 10 percent 
copper. 
(2) DESIGN.—The design of the one dollar coins shall, in 
accordance with section 4, be emblematic of the Bicentennial of 
the United States Congress. Each one dollar coin shall bear a 
designation of the value of the coin, an inscription of the year 
"1989", and inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God We 
Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum". 
(c) HALF DOLLAR CLAD COINS.— 
(1) ISSUANCE.—The Secretary shall issue not more than 
10,000,000 half dollar coins each of which shall— 
(A) weigh 11.34 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and 
(C) be minted to the specifications for half dollar coins 
contained in section 511203) of title 31, United States Code. 
(2) DESIGN.—The design of the half dollar coins shall, in 
accordance with section 4, be emblematic of the Bicentennial of 
the United States Congress. On each half dollar coin shall be a 
designation of the value of the coin, an inscription of the year 
102 STAT. 888 
PUBLIC LAW 100-378—AUG. 1, 1988 
"1989", and inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God We 
Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum". 
(d) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this Act shall be legal 
tender as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code. 
(e) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5132(a)(1) of title 
31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items. 
SEC. 3. SOURCES OF BULLION. 
(a) GOLD.—The Secretary shall obtain gold for minting coins under 
this Act pursuant to the authority of the Secretary under existing 
law. 
(b) SILVER.—The Secretary shall obtain silver for minting coins 
under this Act only from stockpiles established under the Strategic 
and Critical Minerals Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.). 
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 
The Director of the Mint shall submit the proposed designs of the 
coins to be minted under this Act to the Commission of Fine Arts for 
comments. After receiving the comments on the designs from such 
Commission, the Director of the Mint shall submit the proposed 
designs together with such comments to the Secretary. After receiv-
ing the proposed designs and the comments, the Secretary shall 
select the design of the coins to be minted under this Act. 
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 
New York. 
(a) FiVE DOLLAR CoiNS.—The five dollar coins minted under this 
Act may be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities and shall be 
struck at the United States Mint at West Point, New York. 
(b) ONE DOLLAR AND HALF DOLLAR COINS.—The one dollar and 
half dollar coins minted under this Act may be issued in uncir-
culated and proof qualities, except that not more than 1 facility of 
the United States Mint may be used to strike any particular com-
bination of denomination and quality. 
(c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may issue the 
coins minted under this Act beginning January 1, 1989. 
(d) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Coins may not be minted under 
this Act after June 30,1990. 
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary shall sell the coins minted under this Act at a price equal 
to the face value, plus the cost of designing and issuing the coins 
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead 
expenses). 
(b) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make any bulk sales of the 
coins minted under this Act at a reasonable discount to reflect the 
lower costs of such sales. 
(c) PREPAID ORDERS.—The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders 
for the coins minted under this Act prior to the issuance of such 
coins. Sale prices with respect to such prepaid orders shall be at a 
reasonable discount. 
(d) SURCHARGES.—All sales of coins minted under this Act shall 
include a surcharge of $35 per coin for the five dollar coins, $7 per 
coin for the one dollar coins, and $1 per coin for the half dollar coins. 
PUBLIC LAW 100-378—AUG. 1, 1988 
102 STAT. 889 
SEC. 7. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. 
(a) No NET COST TO THE GOVERNMENT.—The Secretary shall take 
such actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting and issuing 
coins under this Act will not result in any net cost to the United 
States Government. 
(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 indemnify 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 Insurance Corporation, the Federal Savings 
and Loan Insurance Corporation, or the National Credit Union 
Administration Board. 
SEC. 8. REDUCTION OF NATIONAL DEBT. 
An amount equal to the amount of all surcharges that are re-
ceived by the Secretary from the sale of coins minted under this Act 
shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury and shall be 
used for the sole purpose of reducing the national debt. 
SEC. 9. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection (b), no provi-
sion 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. 
OJ) EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.—Subsection (a) shall not 
relieve any person entering into a contract under the authority of 
this Act from complying with any law relating to equal employment 
opportunity. 
SEC. 10. AMENDMENTS TO THE FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN INSURANCE 
CORPORATION RECAPITALIZATION ACT OF 1987. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 306(h)(1) of the Federal Savings and 
Loan Insurance Corporation Recapitalization Act of 1987 (12 U.S.C. 
1730 note) is amended by striking out "1-year" and inserting in lieu 
thereof "2-year". 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT,—The heading for section 306(h) of the 
Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation Recapitalization 
Act of 1987 (12 U.S.C. 1730 note) is amended by striking out "1-
YEAR" and inserting in lieu thereof "2-YEAR". 
SECTION 11. SUNSET. 
All provisions of this Act, other than section 10, shall be repealed 
on the day after the date of enactment of this Act, and no person 
shall be liable for not complying with such provisions (other than 
section 10) while they are in effect. 
Approved August 1, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3251: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 100-383 (Coram, on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 133 (1987): Sept. 29, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 134 (1988): June 15, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
June 23, House concurred in certain Senate amendments, in 
another with an amendment; and disagreed to others. 
July 12, Senate receded and concurred in House amendment 
with an amendment. 
July 13, House concurred in Senate amendment.