Celia Cruz Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 300,000 one dollar silver coins and 500,000 half dollar clad coins emblematic of Celia Cruz (known as the "Queen of Salsa") and her legacy.
Establishes surcharges of ten dollars per coin for the dollar coin and three dollars per coin for the half dollar coin, which shall be paid to the Celia Cruz Foundation.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3109 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3109
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of Celia Cruz.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 17, 2003
Mr. Weller (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of
Florida, Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Nunes, and Mr. Menendez)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration
of Celia Cruz.
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 ``Celia Cruz Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress hereby finds as follows:
(1) Celia Cruz began singing in amateur contests in her
hometown of Havana, Cuba, at the age of 14.
(2) During this period Cruz studied music theory, piano and
voice at Cuba's National Music Conservatory.
(3) During the 1950's, Cruz became an accomplished music
talent and recording artist in Cuba and beyond the island's
shores.
(4) On July 15, 1960, Cruz, her husband, and the members of
her band fled Cuba for the United States to escape the
oppressive regime of Fidel Castro.
(5) Cruz and her husband worked and lived in the United
States and became naturalized American citizens.
(6) Cruz' successful career in the entertainment industry
spanned over 5 decades and she is widely known around the globe
as ``The Queen of Salsa''.
(7) Cruz recorded over 70 records during her career,
earning multiple Grammy Awards and a Billboard Magazine
Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.
(8) Cruz has also won numerous Latin Grammy Awards and
other music industry recognitions that include a myriad of
platinum albums.
(9) Cruz has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award
by the Smithsonian Institution and, in 1994, President Clinton
presented Cruz with the National Medal of the Arts, the United
States highest tribute in the arts community.
(10) Celia Cruz was a champion of freedom and artistic
expression who dedicated herself to helping others.
(11) During the summer of 2002, a foundation was
established in her name, the Celia Cruz Foundation, helping to
realize her dream of providing financial aid to low-income
students who wish to study music and to assist cancer victims.
(12) Celia Cruz, whose music, energy, and happiness made
her a role model for generations of Americans and inspired
audiences around the world, died on July 16, 2003 in Fort Lee,
New Jersey.
(13) In 2008, the world will mark the 5th anniversary of
her death and it will be an appropriate time to remember her
achievements and lasting musical works and charitable legacy.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--In commemoration of the achievements and
lasting musical works and charitable legacy of Celia Cruz, the
Secretary of the Treasury (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the
``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the following coins:
(1) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 300,000 $1 coins which
shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent
copper.
(2) Half dollar clad coins.--Not more than 500,000 half
dollar coins 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 5112(b) of title 31, United
States Code.
(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 5136 of title 31,
United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered
to be numismatic items.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) Design Requirements.--
(1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this
Act shall be emblematic of Celia Cruz and her lasting legacy.
(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 ``2008''; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God
We Trust'', ``United States of America'', ``E Pluribus
Unum'', and ``The Queen of Salsa''.
(b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this Act
shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the
Commission of Fine Arts and the Celia Cruz Foundation; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued
in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Mint Facility.--Only 1 facility of the United States Mint may
be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this
Act.
(c) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted
under this Act beginning January 1, 2008.
(d) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins may be minted under
this Act after December 31, 2008.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by
the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to
such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, and shipping).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins
issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(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 prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
(d) Marketing.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the Celia Cruz
Foundation, shall develop and implement a marketing program to promote
and sell the coins issued under this Act both within the United States
and internationally.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this Act shall
include a surcharge as follows:
(1) $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
(2) $3 per coin for the half dollar coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of
coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to
the Celia Cruz Foundation, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to
offering financial aid to under-privileged students who wish to study
music as well as funding efforts in the fight against cancer, for the
purpose of supporting the programs of the Foundation.
(c) Audits.--The Celia Cruz Foundation shall be subject to the
audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States
Code, with regard to the amounts received by the Foundation under
subsection (b).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology.
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