United Negro College Fund, Inc. Congressional Gold Medal Act
This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the United Negro College Fund, Inc. and its member institutions in recognition of its 80th anniversary.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3058 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3058
To award a congressional gold medal to the United Negro College Fund,
Inc. and the institutions that make up its membership on the occasion
of its 80th year of existence.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 17, 2023
Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Young, and Mrs. Britt)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award a congressional gold medal to the United Negro College Fund,
Inc. and the institutions that make up its membership on the occasion
of its 80th year of existence.
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 ``United Negro College Fund, Inc.
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (referred
to in this Act as ``HBCUs'') were established during a time
when African Americans seeking to further their education was a
dangerous undertaking and illegal in many areas of the United
States.
(2) HBCUs initially educated the progeny of slaves, and the
graduates of those institutions have been impactful as 80
percent of all African-American judges, 80 percent of all
African-American doctors and dentists, 50 percent of all
African-American lawyers, 50 percent of all African-American
professors, 50 percent of all African-American public school
teachers, 40 percent of all African-American Members of
Congress, and 40 percent of all African-American engineers,
while educating only 10 percent of all African-American
students in higher education.
(3) According to a United Negro College Fund, Inc.
(referred to in this Act as the ``UNCF'') study, the annual
economic impact of HBCUs is over $14,800,000,000 a year, the
institutions generate 134,090 jobs for their local and regional
economies, and 1 annual class of HBCU graduates constitutes
over 50,000 graduates with a lifetime earnings of
$130,000,000,000, 56 percent higher than what they could have
expected to earn without their HBCU college credentials.
(4) The UNCF, established in 1944, is the premiere
fundraising and scholarship organization in assistance of HBCUs
and African-American students.
(5) In its 80 years of existence, the UNCF has raised over
7,000,000,000 in private donations for HBCUs and African-
American students.
(6) On an annual basis, the UNCF awards $100,000,000 in
scholarships to 10,000 students at hundreds of colleges and
universities.
(7) UNCF also provides grants to its members, which
include: Miles College, Oakwood University, Stillman College,
Talladega College, Tuskegee University, Philander Smith
College, Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters University,
Florida Memorial University, Clark Atlanta University,
Interdominational Theological Center, Morehouse College, Paine
College, Spelman College, Dillard University, Xavier University
of Louisiana, Rust College, Tougaloo College, Bennett College,
Johnson C. Smith University, Livingstone College, Saint
Augustine University, Shaw University, Wilberforce University,
Allen University, Benedict College, Claflin University, Morris
College, Voorhees College, Fisk University, Lane College,
Huston-Tillotson University, Jarvis Christian College, Texas
College, Wiley College, and Virginia Union University. The
fundraising efforts of the UNCF also positively impact each
HBCU and African-American student at many non-HBCU
institutions.
(8) The iconic motto of the UNCF, ``A Mind is Terrible
Thing to Waste'', is commonly known throughout the lexicon in
the United States and reminds us as a nation to strive for our
individual fullest ability and the highest national ideals
through philanthropy and achievement.
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 presentation, on behalf of Congress,
of a gold medal of appropriate design to the UNCF and the institutions
that make up its membership.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation
described in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to
in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike the 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, at a price sufficient to cover the
costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of
machinery, and overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Mint should
expedite production of the gold medal and duplicate medals under this
Act, so that the UNCF and its member-institutions can be recognized in
a timely manner for its 80th anniversary.
SEC. 6. 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 sections 5134 and 5136 of
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 7. 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
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.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
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