[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2697 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2697
To authorize the President to posthumously award a gold medal on behalf
of the Congress to the seven members of the crew of the space shuttle
Columbia in recognition of their outstanding and enduring contributions
to the Nation.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 20, 2004
Mrs. Hutchison introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the President to posthumously award a gold medal on behalf
of the Congress to the seven members of the crew of the space shuttle
Columbia in recognition of their outstanding and enduring contributions
to the Nation.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On Saturday, February 1, 2003, the space shuttle
Columbia exploded upon re-entering the atmosphere following a
16-day mission.
(2) Before the Columbia started its tragic descent, the
shuttle crew completed some 80 scientific experiments and much
of their research data had already been relayed to Houston
where it has added to the pool of scientific knowledge.
(3) The Nation pays tribute to the memory of Colonel Rick
Husband, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Anderson, Commander Laurel
Clark, Captain David Brown, Commander William McCool, Dr.
Kapana Chawla, and Ilan Ramon, a colonel in the Israeli air
force. The diversity of crew represented the ideals of our
Nation.
(4) These seven courageous explorers paid the ultimate
price to improve our understanding of the universe, to advance
our medical and engineering sciences, to make the Nation safer
and more secure, and to keep the United States economy on the
cutting edge of technology.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized, on
behalf of the Congress, to award a gold medal of appropriate design to
each of the seven crew members of the space shuttle Columbia--
(1) Rick D. Husband;
(2) Michael P. Anderson;
(3) Laurel Clark;
(4) David M. Brown;
(5) William C. McCool;
(6) Kapana Chawla; and
(7) Ilan Ramon.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the presentation
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 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, and 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. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. FUNDING.
(a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount
not to exceed $30,0000 to pay for the cost of the medals authorized by
this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States
Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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