A bill to award posthumously a Congressional gold medal to Constantino Brumidi.
PL 110-259 (S.254), enacted 07/01/2008

122 STAT. 2430 
PUBLIC LAW 110–259—JULY 1, 2008 
Public Law 110–259 
110th Congress 
An Act 
To award posthumously a Congressional gold medal to Constantino Brumidi. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) On July 26, 1805, Constantino Brumidi was born in 
Rome, Italy of an Italian mother and a Greek father who 
inspired him with a love of liberty. 
(2) While Constantino Brumidi’s Greek ancestry stirred 
his passion for liberty and citizenship, his Italian heritage 
provided the art styles of the Renaissance and the Baroque 
which influenced the artwork of the United States Capitol. 
(3) Constantino Brumidi became a citizen of the United 
States as soon as he was able, embracing its history, values, 
and ideals. 
(4) Beginning in 1855, Constantino Brumidi designed and 
decorated 1 House and 5 Senate committee rooms in the Cap-
itol, as well as the Senate Reception Room, the Office of the 
Vice President, and, most notably, the President’s Room, which 
represents Brumidi’s supreme effort ‘‘to make beautiful the 
Capitol’’ of the United States. 
(5) In 1865, Constantino Brumidi completed in just 11 
months his masterpiece, ‘‘The Apotheosis of Washington’’, in 
the eye of the Capitol dome. 
(6) In 1871, Constantino Brumidi created the first tribute 
to an African American in the Capitol when he placed the 
figure of Crispus Attucks at the center of his fresco of the 
Boston Massacre. 
(7) In 1878, Constantino Brumidi, at the age of 72 and 
in poor health, began work on the Rotunda frieze, which chron-
icles the history of America. 
(8) On February 19, 1880, Constantino Brumidi died at 
the age of 74, four and a half months after slipping and nearly 
falling from a scaffold while working on the Rotunda frieze. 
(9) Constantino Brumidi, proud of his artistic accomplish-
ments and devoted to his adopted country, said, ‘‘My one ambi-
tion and my daily prayer is that I may live long enough to 
make beautiful the Capitol of the one country on earth in 
which there is liberty.’’. 
(10) Constantino Brumidi’s life and work exemplify the 
lives of millions of immigrants who came to pursue the Amer-
ican dream. 
31 USC 5111 
note. 
July 1, 2008 
[S. 254] 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
13:21 Dec 07, 2009
Jkt 069194
PO 00002
Frm 00878
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
M:\STATUTES\2008\PT2\69194PT2.001
APPS10
PsN: 69194PT2
dkrause on DSK1YNZS61 with PUBLAW
122 STAT. 2431 
PUBLIC LAW 110–259—JULY 1, 2008 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives 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 to 
Constantino Brumidi, in recognition of his contributions to the 
Nation. 
(2) DISPLAY OF MEDAL IN CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER.—The 
Architect of the Capitol shall arrange for the gold medal pre-
sented under this subsection to be displayed in the Capitol 
Visitor Center, as part of an exhibit honoring Constantino 
Brumidi. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the presentation 
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred 
to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal with 
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by 
the Secretary. 
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the 
gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 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. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The 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 section 5134 of title 
31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall 
be considered to be numismatic items. 
SEC. 5. 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. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
13:21 Dec 07, 2009
Jkt 069194
PO 00002
Frm 00879
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
M:\STATUTES\2008\PT2\69194PT2.001
APPS10
PsN: 69194PT2
dkrause on DSK1YNZS61 with PUBLAW
122 STAT. 2432 
PUBLIC LAW 110–259—JULY 1, 2008 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 254: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 153 (2007): May 21, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 154 (2008): June 10, considered and passed House. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sale of 
duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 3 shall be depos-
ited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. 
Approved July 1, 2008. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
13:21 Dec 07, 2009
Jkt 069194
PO 00002
Frm 00880
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6580
M:\STATUTES\2008\PT2\69194PT2.001
APPS10
PsN: 69194PT2
dkrause on DSK1YNZS61 with PUBLAW