[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2762 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2762
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Robert Cleckler
(``Bobby'') Bowden, in honor of his achievements both on and off the
football field.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 12, 2023
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself and Mr. Rubio) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Robert Cleckler
(``Bobby'') Bowden, in honor of his achievements both on and off the
football field.
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 ``Robert Cleckler (`Bobby') Bowden
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Robert Cleckler (``Bobby'') Bowden (referred to in this
Act as ``Bobby Bowden'') was born on November 8, 1929, in
Birmingham, Alabama.
(2) Bobby Bowden served as the head coach of the Florida
State University Seminoles from 1976 to 2009.
(3) At Florida State University, teams coached by Bobby
Bowden won 2 national championships (in 1993 and 1999) and 12
Atlantic Coast Conference titles.
(4) Bobby Bowden posted a 316-97-4 record in his 34 years
at Florida State University.
(5) Throughout his entire 44 years of coaching college
football, Bobby Bowden won a total of 377 games, making him one
of the winningest coaches in college football history.
(6) Bobby Bowden and his wife, Ann Estock, his childhood
sweetheart, were married for 72 years, with 6 children and 21
grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
(7) In 1999, in an event that was the first of its kind in
the history of Division I-A football, Bobby Bowden coached what
would be the first of many games against a team coached by his
son, which was termed ``The Bowden Bowl''.
(8) In 2004, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes began
presenting an annual ``Bobby Bowden Award'' to a football
player for philanthropic work.
(9) In 2011, Bobby Bowden was awarded the ``Children's
Champion Award for Leadership Development'' by the Children's
Hunger Fund, a charitable organization, in recognition of his
humanitarian work.
(10) In 2021, Bobby Bowden received the inaugural Medal of
Freedom Award from the Governor of Florida.
(11) Bobby Bowden leaves a legacy of leadership for his
contributions on the football field and in his community.
(12) While Bobby Bowden is recognized for his many football
accomplishments, he will also be remembered as a family man who
counted all as part of his family and encouraged recognizing
the humanity of every individual and loving others as brothers
and sisters.
(13) Bobby Bowden believed each individual had merit and
the United States is better for his legacy.
(14) The spirit that Bobby Bowden embodied is the spirit of
the United States, of which the people of the United States can
be proud and seek to emulate in both large and small ways.
(15) Bobby Bowden never asked for accolades, and for this,
and the totality of his life and his love, he should be honored
in perpetuity.
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
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to commemorate the life
of Bobby Bowden, in recognition of his achievements both on and off the
football field.
(b) Design and Striking.--
(1) In general.--For the purpose of the award 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.
(2) Image.--The emblems, devices, and inscriptions
determined by the Secretary shall include an inscription of the
name of Robert Cleckler (``Bobby'') Bowden.
(c) Disposition of Medal.--Following the award of the gold medal
under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the next of kin
of Bobby Bowden.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
(a) Striking of Duplicates.--The Secretary may strike duplicates in
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3.
(b) Selling of Duplicates.--The Secretary may sell such duplicates
under subsection (a) at a price sufficient to cover the costs of such
duplicates, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--Medals struck under 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 such
amounts as may be necessary 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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