Congressional Gold Medals and Commemorative Coins.

Sec. 139. Congressional Gold Medals and Commemorative Coins. (a) Little Rock Nine.— (1) The Congress hereby finds the following: (A) Jean Brown Trickey, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Melba Patillo Beals, Terrence Roberts, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Thelma Mothershed Wair, Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, and Jefferson Thomas, hereafter in this section referred to as the “Little Rock Nine”, voluntarily subjected themselves to the bitter stinging pains of racial bigotry. (B) The Little Rock Nine are civil rights pioneers whose selfless acts considerably advanced the civil rights debate in this country. (C) The Little Rock Nine risked their lives to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and subsequently the Nation. (D) The Little Rock Nine sacrificed their innocence to protect the American principle that we are all “one Nation, under God, indivisible”. (E) The Little Rock Nine have indelibly left their mark on the history of the Nation. (F) The Little Rock Nine have continued to work toward equality for all Americans. (2)(A) The President is authorized to present, on behalf of Congress, to Jean Brown Trickey, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Melba Patillo Beals, Terrence Roberts, Gloria Ray Karlmark, 112 STAT. 2681–598Thelma Mothershed Wair, Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, and Jefferson Thomas, commonly referred to as the “Little Rock Nine”, gold medals of appropriate design, in recognition of the selfless heroism such individuals exhibited and the pain they suffered in the cause of civil rights by integrating Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. (B) For purposes 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 for each recipient. (C) Effective October 1, 1998, there be authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection. (3)(A) The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck pursuant to subsection (a)(2)(B) 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. (B) The appropriation used to carry out this subsection shall be reimbursed out of the proceeds of sales under subsection (a)(3)(A). (4) The medals struck pursuant to this subsection are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. (b) Gerald R. and Betty Ford.— (1) The President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, to Gerald R. and Betty Ford a gold medal of appropriate design— (A) in recognition of their dedicated public service and outstanding humanitarian contributions to the people of the United States; and (B) in commemoration of the following occasions in 1998: (i) The 85th anniversary of the birth of President Ford. (ii) The 80th anniversary of the birth of Mrs. Ford. (iii) The 50th wedding anniversary of President and Mrs. Ford. (iv) The 50th anniversary of the 1st election of Gerald R. Ford to the United States to the United States House of Representatives. (v) The 25th anniversary of the approval of Gerald R. Ford by the Congress to become Vice President of the United States. (2) For purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of the Treasury shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary. (3) There are authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $20,000 to carry out this subsection. (4) The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to subsection (b)(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.112 STAT. 2681–599 (5) The appropriation used to carry out this subsection shall be reimbursed out of the proceeds of sales under subsection (b)(4). (6) The medals struck pursuant to this subsection are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. (c) 6-Month Extension for Certain Sales.—Notwithstanding section 101(7)(D) of the United States Commemorative Coin Act of 1996, the Secretary of the Treasury may, at any time before January 1, 1999, make bulk sales at a reasonable discount to the Jackie Robinson Foundation of not less than 20 percent of any denomination of proof and uncirculated coins minted under section 101(7) of such Act which remained unissued as of July 1, 1998, except that the total number of coins of any such denomination which were issued under such section or this section may not exceed the amount of such denomination of coins which were authorized to be minted and issued under section 101(7)(A) of such Act.