[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9] [House] [Pages 12030-12032] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]MOTHER'S DAY CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2268) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the establishment of Mother's Day, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2268 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 ``Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress hereby finds as follows: (1) Anna Jarvis, who is considered to be the founder of the modern Mother's Day, was born in Webster, West Virginia on May 1, 1864. (2) A resident of Grafton, West Virginia, Anna Jarvis dedicated much of her adult life to honoring her mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis, who passed on May 9, 1905. (3) In 1908, the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church of Grafton, West Virginia, officially proclaimed the third anniversary of Anna Reeves Jarvis' death to be Mother's Day. (4) In 1910, West Virginia Governor, William Glasscock, issued the first Mother's Day Proclamation encouraging all West Virginians to attend church and wear white carnations. (5) On May 8, 1914, the Sixty-Third Congress approved H. J. Res. 263 designating the second Sunday in May to be observed as Mother's Day and encouraging all Americans to display the American flag at their homes as a public expression of the love and reverence for the mothers of our Nation. (6) On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued a Presidential Proclamation directing government officials to display the American flag on all government buildings and inviting the American people to display the flag at their homes on the second Sunday of May as a public expression of the love and reverence for the mothers of our nation. SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. (a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue not more than 400,000 $1 coins each of which shall-- (1) weigh 26.73 grams; (2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and (3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. (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.--The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the 100th anniversary of President Wilson's proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. (b) Designation and Inscriptions.--On each coin minted under this Act there shall be-- (1) a designation of the value of the coin; (2) an inscription of the year ``2014''; and (3) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus Unum''. (c) 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 (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee established under section 5135 of title 31, United States Code. SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. (a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. (b) Commencement of Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted under this Act beginning January 1, 2014, except that the Secretary may initiate sales of such coins, without issuance, before such date. (c) Termination of Minting Authority.--No coins shall be minted under this Act after December 31, 2014. SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. (a) Sale Price.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of the face value of the coins, the surcharge required under section 7(a) for the coins, and the cost of designing and issuing such coins (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, and marketing). (b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount. (c) Prepaid Orders at a Discount.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders for the coins minted [[Page 12031]] 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. SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. (a) Surcharge Required.--All sales shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin. (b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code, all surcharges which are received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary as follows: (1) \1/2\ to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for the purpose of furthering research funded by the organization. (2) \1/2\ to the National Osteoporosis Foundation for the purpose of furthering research funded by the Foundation. (c) Audits.--The Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Osteoporosis 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 respective organizations under subsection (b). (d) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin would result in the number of commemorative coin programs issued during such year to exceed the annual 2 commemorative coin program issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The Secretary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out this subsection. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York. General Leave Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous materials therein. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from New York? There was no objection. Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2268, a bill introduced by the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) to create a commemorative coin honoring the 100th anniversary of Mother's Day. The 297 bipartisan cosponsors of this bill made clear that the Congress strongly supports recognizing the importance of Mother's Day in this way, and I am delighted to add my voice to this chorus. Mother's Day was first proclaimed in 1908 by the Matthews Methodist Episcopal Church of Grafton, West Virginia, in honor of one mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis. Congress designated the second Sunday in May to be observed as Mother's Day, and it was recognized as a national day to honor all mothers by President Woodrow Wilson on May 9, 1914. The bill calls for a silver dollar to be minted in 2014 with a design commemorating President Wilson's proclamation. The $10 surcharge proceeds from their sale is to go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a household word and organization in combating breast cancer, and to the National Osteoporosis Foundation for research purposes. I urge my colleagues to support this bill honoring Mother's Day and our Nation's mothers, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for her support of this bill, and I am very excited it is before the House today. There is a very special bond that exists between mothers and their children that words cannot describe. For the lucky ones among us, a mother--our, someone else's, or a mother figure such as a grandmother-- has made all of the difference in our lives. The tender care, unending support, and the unconditional love of a mother truly are life's greatest blessing for a child. Every year on the second Sunday in May this Nation honors its mothers. We seek to acknowledge their tireless support and their enduring love. My colleague has spoken about how this tradition began, but I would like to go over it because it is a proud history of tradition for our State of West Virginia. In 1868, Anna Reeves Jarvis organized a committee in her home town of Grafton, West Virginia, to sponsor a mother's friendship day. The purpose was to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War. However, Anna Reeves Jarvis' dream of an annual memorial Mother's Day commemorating each mother for the service she renders to humanity had not gained wide-spread support during her lifetime. However, her daughter, Anna M. Jarvis, took on her mother's cause. On May 9, 1907, the second anniversary of her mother's death, Anna invited friends to her home and outlined her plan to make her mother's dream of a nationwide day in honor of mothers a reality. Within a year, working with Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, progress was made and on Sunday, May 10, 1908, church services were held in which mothers were honored. They were held in Grafton, West Virginia, and in Philadelphia. This initial celebration was only the beginning. Jarvis worked for years to popularize her idea. She wrote letters to churches and business leaders, to newspaper editors and to Members of Congress. She was even able to bring the drive for a Mother's Day observance to the attention of the President of the United States. Her efforts were rewarded. In 1910, the governor of West Virginia, William Glassock, issued a Mother's Day proclamation. By the next year, Mother's Day services were held in all States of the Union. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson, responding to a joint resolution in Congress, issued a proclamation setting aside the second Sunday every May for ``displaying the American flag as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.'' Today, Mother's Day is celebrated throughout the world. In the United States, the President and governors issue proclamations recognizing mothers, churches perform services in honor of mothers everywhere, and the hearts of all are filled with all of our love for our mothers. This bill would authorize the minting of silver $1 coins in honor of the women who have sacrificed so much for their children. It is a small token of our love and admiration, but one that will hopefully express the love we hold for our mothers. Surcharges of the sale of the coins, as my colleague mentioned, will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the National Osteoporosis Foundation for research. I chose both of these foundations because I have great admiration for the work they do for men and women, but particularly for women as we battle the difficult tragedies of breast cancer and the growing difficulties associated with osteoporosis which over 80 percent of the people it strikes are women. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mother. She has made a difference in my life. I appreciate her unconditional love and support, her willingness to help me when I fell, and to push me forward when I could not find the strength myself. I love you, Mom, and thanks. With that, being from West Virginia, I would like to say, too, that our sense of community and family is very strong. We are so very proud of Anna Jarvis' vision, her idea and her dedication to celebrate her own mother, and we are proud to be known as the birthplace of Mother's Day. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, but would also like to recognize my own mother, as I am sure all of us in this body appreciate our mothers. This is an important resolution, and I am proud to be the Democratic sponsor with my good friend from West Virginia, and I urge a ``yes'' vote. Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2268, the Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. First, I [[Page 12032]] would like to thank Representative Capito for authoring this legislation before us today. H.R. 2268 would instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins in recognition of the 100th anniversary of President Wilson's proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. As an original cosponsor of this bill, I would like to take this opportunity to thank mothers across this nation for what they have done, do, and will do to keep our families and our country, strong. Mr. Speaker, I also want to take the personal privilege of recognizing my mother, Mrs. Helen Gingrey. Ninety years young, my mother instilled in me the very values and work ethic that prepared me to serve in these hallowed halls. Her example testifies to the fact that we owe so very much to our mothers, to our fathers, to all those who cleared the way and smoothed the paths for us to succeed and realize our potential. We should honor their work not just in word but in deed--by ensuring a smoother, clearer path for the next generation--for our children and our grandchildren. And so, I call upon my colleagues to demonstrate their appreciation for mothers everywhere by supporting this legislation. Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following correspondence: House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC, May 22, 2008. Hon. Barney Frank, Chairman, Financial Services Committee, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Frank: I am writing regarding H.R. 2268, the ``Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act.'' As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains jurisdiction over bills that raise revenue. H.R. 2268 contains a provision that establishes a surcharge for the sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the bill, and thus falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. However, as part of our ongoing understanding regarding commemorative coin bills and in order to expedite this bill for Floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action. This is being done with the understanding that it does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment of Conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the future. I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 2268, and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the record. Sincerely, Charles B. Rangel, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC, May 21, 2008. Hon. Charles B. Rangel, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing in response to your letter regarding H.R. 2268, the ``Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act,'' which was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Financial Services on May 10, 2007. It is my understanding that this bill will be scheduled for Floor consideration shortly. I wish to confirm our mutual understanding on this bill. As you know, section 7 of the bill establishes a surcharge for the sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the bill. I acknowledge your Committee's jurisdictional interest in such surcharges as revenue matters. However, I appreciate your willingness to forego committee action on H.R. 2268 in order to allow the bill to come to the Floor expeditiously. I agree that your decision to forego further action on this bill will not prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation. I would support your request for conferees on those provisions within your jurisdiction should this bill be the subject of a House-Senate conference. I will include this exchange of letters in the Congressional Record when this bill is considered by the House. Thank you again for your assistance. Barney Frank, Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2268, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________