[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8535 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8535
To posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to Shirley Chisholm.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 27, 2022
Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Ms. Waters, Mr. Jeffries, Ms.
Clarke of New York, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of
New York, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. Norton, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Quigley, Ms. Dean,
Mr. Peters, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Adams, Ms.
Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms.
Bonamici, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Gallego, Ms. Titus, Mr. Higgins of
New York, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Wild, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Cicilline, Ms.
Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Ruiz, Ms. Underwood, Mr. Cleaver,
Ms. McCollum, Ms. Plaskett, Mr. Payne, Mr. Trone, Mr. Takano, Ms.
Kaptur, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Evans, Mr. Danny K.
Davis of Illinois, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Casten, Mr. Suozzi, Ms.
Tlaib, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Lawson
of Florida, Ms. Bass, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Foster, Mr. Torres of
New York, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr.
Rush, Mr. Carson, Mr. Pappas, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr.
Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Welch, Ms. Brown of Ohio, Ms. Omar, Mrs.
Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mr. Costa,
Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Sablan, Ms. Jayapal,
Mr. DeFazio, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. Mfume, Mr. Thompson of
Mississippi, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Jones, Mr.
Lowenthal, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Green
of Texas, Mrs. Bustos, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Ruppersberger, Ms.
Bush, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Kildee, Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. Trahan, Mrs. Lee of
Nevada, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Cooper, Mr.
Tonko, Ms. Wexton, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Bera, Ms. Jacobs of California, Ms.
Speier, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Bowman, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr.
David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Grijalva, and Ms. Newman) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial
Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to Shirley Chisholm.
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 ``Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold
Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first African-
American woman elected to Congress where she served until 1982.
(2) Shirley Chisholm inspired and led the march of
political achievement by African Americans and women in the
three decades since she ran for the Presidency of the United
States.
(3) Her election to Congress and her candidacy for the
Presidency raised the profile and aspirations of all African
Americans and women in the field of politics.
(4) Shirley Chisholm was recognized for her activism,
independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics
during and after the civil rights era.
(5) Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, New York, on
November 30, 1924, attended Brooklyn College, and earned a
Master's degree from Columbia University.
(6) Shirley Chisholm worked in education and social
services before being elected to the New York State Assembly in
1964.
(7) Shirley Chisholm established the Unity Democratic Club
in 1960, which played a significant role in rallying Black and
Hispanic voters in New York City.
(8) In 1969, Shirley Chisholm began her service in the 91st
Congress, representing Brooklyn's 12th Congressional District
in the United States House of Representatives.
(9) During her service in the House of Representatives,
Shirley Chisholm promoted the employment of women in Congress
and was vocal in her support of civil rights, women's rights,
and the poor, while fervently opposing the Vietnam War.
(10) In 1972, Shirley Chisholm was the first African
American to seek the nomination of a major party for President
of the United States.
(11) Shirley Chisholm was a co-founder of the National
Organization for Women.
(12) An historic figure in American political history,
Shirley Chisholm died at the age of 80 in Ormond Beach,
Florida, on New Year's Day 2005.
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 posthumous presentation, on behalf of
the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of
Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and
groundbreaking achievements in politics, her election as the first
African-American woman in the Congress, and her campaign to be the
first African American to gain the nomination of a major political
party for President of the United States.
(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.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal
referred to in subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to
the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be displayed as
appropriate and made available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal received
under this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly at
other locations and events associated with Shirley Chisholm.
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.
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.
<all>