H.R. 2894: Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act

Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812.

Requires a coin design emblematic of the War of 1812, particularly the Battle for Fort McHenry that formed the basis for the "Star-Spangled Banner."

Authorizes the Secretary to issue the coins only during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2012.

Requires all surcharges received by the Secretary from coin sales to be paid to the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission for: (1) the purpose of supporting bicentennial activities; and (2) preservation and improvement activities relating to the sites and structures relating to the War of 1812.

Full Bill Text

  • Most Recent: H.R. 2894.RFS (Referred to Senate Committee after being Received from House)
  • The previous versions of the bill, H.R. 2894IH and H.R. 2894EH, may be viewed online at THOMAS.

Bill Status

Introduced in House
Passed House
Voted on in Senate
Signed by President
June 28, 2007
May 15, 2008
 –
 –

For a U.S. bill to become law, it must pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then get signed by the President.

Although nearly a year went by without solid action on H.R. 2894, in the end it had with 298 cosponsors and easily passed the House by voice vote on May 15, 2008. The bill is now before the Senate for consideration.

CoinNews Article on H.R. 2894

Sponsor

Rep Ruppersberger, C.A. Dutch [D-MD]

Bill Actions by Date

  • 6/28/2008: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
  • 5/13/2008 4:16pm:
    Mr. Gutierrez moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  • 5/13/2008 4:17pm:
    Considered under suspension of the rules.
  • 5/13/2008 4:17pm:
    DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2894.
  • 5/13/2008 4:28pm:
    At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Simpson objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
  • 5/15/2008 3:47pm:
    Considered as unfinished business.
  • 5/15/2008 3:47pm:
    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  • 5/15/2008 3:47pm:
    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  • 5/19/2008:
    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

News and Blogs about H.R. 2894

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Text of H.R. 2894: Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act

HR 2894 RFS (Referred to Senate Committee after being Received from House)


110th CONGRESS


2d Session


H. R. 2894


IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES


May 19, 2008

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs


AN ACT

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the `Star Spangled Banner’ and the War of 1812, and for other purposes.

    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 `Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
      (1) During the War of 1812, on September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key visited the British fleet in Chesapeake Bay to secure the release of Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured after the burning of Washington, DC.
      (2) The release was completed, but Key was held by the British overnight during the shelling of Fort McHenry, one of the forts defending Baltimore.
      (3) In the morning, Key peered through clearing smoke to see an enormous American flag flying proudly after a 25-hour British bombardment of Fort McHenry.
      (4) He was so delighted to see the flag still flying over the fort that he began a poem to commemorate the occasion, with a note that it should be sung to the popular British melody `To Anacreon in Heaven’.
      (5) In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that it be played at military and naval occasions.
      (6) In 1931, the `Star-Spangled Banner’ became our National Anthem.

SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

    (a) $1 Silver Coins- The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the `Secretary’) shall mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1 coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812, 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 sections 5134 and 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-
      (1) IN GENERAL- The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the War of 1812 and particularly the Battle for Fort McHenry that formed the basis for the `Star-Spangled Banner’.
      (2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS- On each coin minted under this Act, there shall be–
        (A) a designation of the value of the coin;
        (B) an inscription of the year `2012′; and
        (C) inscriptions of the words `Liberty’, `In God We Trust’, `United States of America’, and `E Pluribus Unum’.
    (b) Selection- The design for the coins minted under this Act shall be–
      (1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts; and
      (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.

    (a) Quality of Coins- Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
    (b) Mint Facility- Only one facility of the United States Mint may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this Act.
    (c) Period for Issuance- The Secretary may issue coins under this Act only during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2012.

SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.

    (a) Sale Price- The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of–
      (1) the face value of the coins;
      (2) the surcharge provided in section 7 with respect to such coins; and
      (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).
    (b) Bulk Sales- The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
    (c) Prepaid Orders-
      (1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders for the coins minted 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) In General- All sales of coins issued under this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
    (b) Distribution- Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be paid to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission for the purpose of supporting bicentennial activities in collaboration with and aiding the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission as it provides coordination, advice, and assistance to Federal agencies, States, localities, and other organizations for such bicentennial activities, educational outreach activities (including supporting scholarly research and the development of exhibits), and preservation and improvement activities relating to the sites and structures relating to the War of 1812.
    (c) Audits- The Comptroller General of the United States shall have the right to examine such books, records, documents, and other data of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission as may be related to the expenditures of amounts paid 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.

Passed the House of Representatives May 15, 2008.

Attest:

LORRAINE C. MILLER,

Clerk.