Father Theodore M. Hesburgh Congressional Gold Medal Act

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 ‘‘Father Theodore M. Hesburgh Congressional Gold Medal Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 * The Congress finds that—
 * (1) Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., has made outstanding and enduring contributions to American society through his activities in civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community; (
 * 2) Father Hesburgh was a charter member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights from its creation in 1957 and served as chairperson of the Commission from 1969 to 1972;
 * (3) Father Hesburgh was president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 until 1987, and has been president emeritus since 1987;
 * (4) Father Hesburgh is a national and international leader in higher education;


 * (5) Father Hesburgh has been honored with the Elizabeth Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Education Association and with more than 130 honorary degrees;


 * (6) Father Hesburgh served as co-chairperson of the nationally influential Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and as chairperson, from 1994 to 1996, of the Board of Overseers of Harvard University;


 * (7) Father Hesburgh served under President Ford as a member of the Presidential Clemency Board, charged with deciding the fates of persons committing offenses during the Vietnam conflict;
 * (8) Father Hesburgh served as chairman of the board of the Overseas Development Council and in that capacity led fundraising efforts that averted mass starvation in Cambodia in 1979 and 1980;


 * (9) Father Hesburgh served from 1979 to 1981 as chairperson of the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy, which made recommendations that served as the basis of congressional reform legislation enacted 5 years later;


 * (10) Father Hesburgh served as ambassador to the 1979 United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development; and


 * (11) Father Hesburgh has served the Catholic Church in a variety of capacities, including his service from 1956 to 1970 as the permanent Vatican representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and his service as a member of the Holy See’s delegation to the United Nations.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.

 * (a)The President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community.
 * (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.

 * The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

 * (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be charged against the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal authorized by this Act.
 * (b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sales of duplicate bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund.

''Approved December 9, 1999. ''

LEGISLATIVE HISTOR

 * H.R. 1932:
 * CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 145 (1999)
 * Oct. 12, considered and passed House.
 * Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate