[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6516 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6516

  To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Tuscarora 
Nation who fought to protect the residents of Lewiston, New York, from 
              the British invasion during the War of 1812.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 21, 2012

Ms. Hochul (for herself and Mr. Higgins) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Tuscarora 
Nation who fought to protect the residents of Lewiston, New York, from 
              the British invasion during the War of 1812.

    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 ``Tuscarora Nation Congressional Gold 
Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Tuscarora Nation and the residents of Lewiston, New 
        York, have enjoyed a peaceful coexistence and friendship for 
        more than 200 years.
            (2) The year 2012 marks the bicentennial of the War of 
        1812, when communities across the United States banded together 
        to defend the American freedoms that had been won in the 
        Revolutionary War.
            (3) In a nighttime attack on December 19, 1813, British 
        troops stationed in Canada invaded the United States and 
        captured Fort Niagara, the keystone of American defenses on the 
        Niagara Frontier. Later that day, approximately 35 Tuscarora 
        warriors, situated near Lewiston, warned the residents of 
        Lewiston of the imminent British invasion.
            (4) As the British descended on Lewiston on December 19, 
        1813, Tuscarora warriors, under the leadership of Chief Solomon 
        Longboard, despite owing no obligation to the people of 
        Lewiston nor to the American cause and, according to some 
        accounts, being outnumbered 30 to 1, attacked the British 
        troops, repelling the invasion long enough to buy crucial time 
        for many residents of Lewiston to escape.
            (5) Without the vigilance and bravery of the members of the 
        Tuscarora Nation, it is likely that the residents of Lewiston 
        would have suffered far more casualties.
            (6) The United States has yet to formally thank and honor 
        the members of the Tuscarora Nation who so valiantly risked 
        their lives to protect the civilians of Lewiston.
            (7) As the United States commemorates the 200th anniversary 
        of the War of 1812, all who contributed to the American cause 
        deserve recognition, including the Tuscarora warriors at 
        Lewiston.

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 the 
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of the 
members of the Tuscarora Nation who fought to protect the residents of 
Lewiston, New York, from the British invasion during the War of 1812.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred 
to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in 
this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a 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 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.

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this Act are 
national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code.
    (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of title 31, 
United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items.

SEC. 6. 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, an 
amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the costs of the medals struck 
pursuant to 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.
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