250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act
Floor Speech
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Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1096) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps, and to support programs at the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1096
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 ``250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) November 10, 2025, marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.
(2) The United States Marine Corps has, over the course of its illustrious 250-year history, fought gallantly in defense of the United States.
(3) The United States Marine Corps has established itself as a leading military force, always prepared for tomorrow's challenges and to contend with the future character of war.
(4) The United States Marine Corps continues to exemplify the warrior ethos that has made it a fighting force of international repute.
(5) All Americans should commemorate the legacy of the United States Marine Corps and recognize the significant contributions the values embodied in the Corps have made in protecting the United States against its enemies.
(6) In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001, the Congress authorized the construction of the Marine Corps Heritage Center as a multipurpose facility for historical displays for the public viewing, curation and storage of artifacts, research facilities, classrooms, offices and associated activities consistent with the mission of the Marine Corps.
(7) On November 10, 2006, the Marine Corps Heritage Center opened to the public, with exhibits that share the history of the Marine Corps from 1775 until 1975, and with planned future exhibits on modern day Marine Corps history from the end of the Vietnam War through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to be completed by 2025.
(8) The United States should pay tribute to the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps by minting and issuing a commemorative coin.
(9) The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a commemorative coin, which would have no net costs to the taxpayers, would raise valuable funding for the continuation of educational programs of the Marine Corps Heritage Center. SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the following coins:
(1) $5 gold coins.--Not more than 50,000 $5 coins, which shall--
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
(C) contain not less than 90 percent gold.
(2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 400,000 $1 coins, which shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain not less than 90 percent silver.
(3) Half-dollar clad coins.--Not more than 750,000 half- dollar coins which shall--
(A) weigh 11.34 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
(C) be minted to the specifications for half-dollar coins contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United States Code.
(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 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.--The designs of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.
(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 ``2025''; 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 coin minted under this Act shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the Commission of Fine Arts, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation; 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.--Any 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 minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2025. 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(a) 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--
(1) a surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin;
(2) a surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin; and
(3) a surcharge of $5 per coin for the half-dollar coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f)(1) of title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and shall only be used for the purposes of supporting the mission of the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
(c) Audits.--The Marine Corps Heritage 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 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. SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that--
(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act result in no net cost to the Federal Government; and
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, are disbursed to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation until the total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized by this Act, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping, is recovered by the United States Treasury, consistent with sections 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
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Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1096, a bill that will mint a series of coins to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.
I would like to thank my colleagues, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), for their work on this bill and for their service.
The Marines are one of the most storied branches of the United States Armed Forces. On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, passed a resolution stating that ``two Battalions of Marines be raised'' for service as landing forces with the fleet.
This resolution established the Continental Marines and forever marked the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.
Now, that may be the official inception of the Marines, but if you ask any corpsman, they will tell you that the Marines were formed in a bar.
According to Marine legend, newly commissioned Captains Samuel Nicholas and Robert Mullan organized the first Marine Corps muster at Tun Tavern, a popular watering hole in Philadelphia.
The two officers are said to have lured potential marines with mugs of beer and a promise of adventures on the high seas. They were looking for ``a few good men,'' the ``Few and the Proud.'' Their recruits later made up the first five companies who served aboard Continental Navy ships.
Shortly after their beginning, the marines became known for their unconventional and fierce combat.
The first amphibious assault in Marine Corps history came on March 3, 1776, when a force under Captain Nicholas stormed the beaches of the British-held island of New Providence in the Bahamas. These 220 marines captured the town and successfully seized several brass canons and mortars that were directly shipped to George Washington's Continental Army.
The Marines served in every American war of the 18th and 19th centuries, but their role as naval troops was limited until June of 1918.
In 1918, under General James Harbord, marines clashed with German forces positioned in a French hunting preserve known as Belleau Wood.
Ignoring calls to withdraw, one captain famously said, ``Retreat? Hell, we just got here.'' The marines held their ground against a German assault and later spearheaded an Allied counterattack on June 6, earning their nickname of ``Devil Dogs.''
The Marines have a history that is far too expansive for a floor speech alone. However, every historical battle the Marines took part in left a lasting impact.
The ``leathernecks'' of Derna, the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II, and the Montford Point marines all paved the way for generations of marines to come, including the 15 corpsmen in the 118th Congress.
In August of 2021, marines were among the last U.S. forces on the battleground in Afghanistan, going above and beyond the call of duty to defend Afghan and American civilians alike who were fleeing the Taliban's advance.
Eleven of the 13 courageous and honorable servicemembers killed in the terrorist attack on the Kabul airport were members of the United States Marine Corps. These fearless marines lived and embodied their motto, ``Semper Fidelis,'' or ``Always Faithful,'' a motto I am sure will be the centerpiece of the commemorative coin series.
I again thank my Congressional colleagues who answered the call to service in the Marine Corps, and especially those marines back home in Missouri's Second Congressional District. It is your warrior spirit that we are honoring here today.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), one of the authors of this coin legislation for the U.S. Marine Corps and a great friend, colleague, and patriot.
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Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, as a proud Army mom whose son is a graduate of West Point, I insist that the lieutenant general take my son, Raymond, the good captain, to the mint also.
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Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank my congressional colleagues for their work on this bill, Captain Seth Moulton and General Jack Bergman. Their steadfast commitment and determination to commemorate the Marine Corps truly shows once a marine, always a marine.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1096, a bill authorizing the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins in honor of the Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary in 2025 and to support programs at the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
The 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act will allow Americans to continue their substantial contributions toward the preservation of the Marine Corps history without any costs to the taxpayers.
November 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the Navy Marine Corps' founding at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, on November 10, 1775.
Since its founding, the Marine Corps has gone on to safeguard our freedom in every climate and region, and in almost every war our nation has fought.
As this House may fervently remember, the coin minted in 2005 for the 230th anniversary of the Marine Corps turned out to be one of the most popular in U.S. Mint history.
The revenue from that coin supported the funding of the construction of the National Museum of the Marine Corps--an award-winning cultural institution which continues to welcome visitors from around the world.
No reason to doubt that a coin marking the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps will be just as popular.
Revenue from the 250th Anniversary coin will support Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's historical and cultural programs that preserve, showcase, and educate the public on Marine Corps, history, traditions, and culture and support to the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
H.R. 1096 will also help to take the history, tradition, culture, and values of the Marine Corps beyond the museum's walls to Americans across the country.
Today's Marine Corps is an integrated air-ground team, capable of rapidly deploying to any conflict or crisis location in the world.
The men and women of the Marine Corps, Always Faithful, remain our nation's finest examples of Honor, Courage, and Commitment for nearly 250 years.
This legislation is an opportunity for Congress to help Americans honor the Marine Corps legacy of bravery and selfless service on a national scale, in a way that won't cost taxpayers a single cent.
I am honored to join with a bipartisan group of Marine veterans, and other veterans of the armed forces serving in Congress, in supporting a legislation that directs the Treasury Department to issue more than one million coins in 2025 for the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.
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Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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