H.R. 916

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint commemorative coins in recognition of the life and legacy of Rosa Parks.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · February 4, 2025 · Sponsor: Mrs. Beatty · Committee: Committee on Financial Services

H.R. 916

SEC. 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rosa Parks Commemorative Coin Act.

SEC. 2. Findings

The Congress finds the following:
- Rosa Parks, widely celebrated as the , became an iconic figure when she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955, igniting a pivotal movement that challenged racial segregation and forever altered the course of American history. Mother of the Civil Rights Movement
- Born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, to Leona McCauley, a teacher, and James McCauley, a carpenter, Parks grew up in the segregated South, experiencing firsthand the harsh realities of racial injustice.
- Despite the profound challenges of racial inequality, Parks attended segregated schools in Alabama, graduating high school in 1933, where her education and experiences fueled her lifelong commitment to activism.
- In 1943, Parks became deeply involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, where she served as Secretary and Youth Leader, investigating cases of racial violence such as the rape of Recy Taylor and the lynching of Emmett Till.
- On December 1, 1955, Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a White man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, an act that led to the historic 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott by more than 40,000 riders.
- The boycott sparked a legal challenge to Montgomery’s bus segregation laws, which culminated in the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Browder v. Gayle declaring bus segregation unconstitutional on November 13, 1956.
- Following the boycott, Parks faced significant personal and economic hardships, including the loss of her job and ongoing threats to her life, yet her determination to fight for justice remained steadfast.
- In 1957, Parks moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she continued her work as an advocate for racial equality, focusing on economic justice, political participation, and racial integration.
- Parks became a global symbol of resistance to racial segregation and injustice, and her act of defiance inspired civil rights movements around the world.
- Throughout her life, Parks remained committed to civil rights activism, participating in marches and speaking engagements, as well as mentoring younger generations of activists, furthering her legacy of leadership in the struggle for racial equality.
- Parks passed away on October 24, 2005, at the age of 92, leaving an enduring legacy of courage, resilience, and leadership that continues to inspire social justice and equality advocates across the globe.
- In recognition of her profound impact, Parks became the first woman and second African American to lie in honor in the United States Capitol Rotunda.
- In 1996, President Bill Clinton awarded Parks the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the President of the United States.
- In 1999, Parks received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions bestowed by the United States Congress.
- Parks’ legacy is commemorated through numerous schools, streets, transit stations, and monuments named in her honor, ensuring that her contributions to American history are remembered and celebrated.
- In 2006, Ohio became the first state to designate December 1, the day of Parks’ arrest, as Rosa Parks Day, garnering unanimous support from the state legislature and being signed into law by Governor Bob Taft.
- Rosa Parks Day is also celebrated in the states of California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, and New York on her birthday, February 4, and in Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas on December 1.
- It is fitting and proper to recognize and preserve the achievements and impact of Rosa Parks, whose personal sacrifice, unwavering resistance, and inspirational advocacy were essential to the success of the Civil Rights Movement, and whose legacy continues to serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations.

SEC. 3. Coin specifications

(a) Denominations
- In recognition and celebration of Rosa Parks, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ) shall mint and issue the following coins:
- (1) $5 gold coins
  - Not more than 50,000 $5 coins, which shall—
    - weigh 8.359 grams;
    - have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
    - contain at least 90 percent gold.
- (2) $1 silver coins
  - Not more than 400,000 $1 coins, which shall—
    - weigh 26.73 grams;
    - have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
    - contain at least 90 percent silver.
- (3) Half-dollar clad coins
  - Not more than 750,000 half-dollar coins which shall—
    - weigh 11.34 grams;
    - have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
    - 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 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. Designs of coins

(a) Design requirements
- (1) In general
  - The designs of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the legacy of Rosa Parks as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. At least one obverse design shall bear the name and likeness of Rosa Parks.
- (2) Designation and inscriptions
  - On each coin minted under this Act, there shall be—
    - a designation of the value of the coin;
    - an inscription of the year ; and
    - inscriptions of the words , , , and . Liberty In God We Trust United States of America E Pluribus Unum
(b) Selection
- The designs for the coins minted under this Act shall be—
  - selected by the Secretary, after consultation with—
    - the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development; and
    - the Commission of Fine Arts; and
  - 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) Period for issuance
- The Secretary may issue coins minted under this Act only during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2029.

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—
  - the face value of the coins;
  - the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to such coins; and
  - 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 the 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 minted under this Act shall include a surcharge as follows:
  - A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coins.
  - A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coins.
  - A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half-dollar coins.
(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 Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, for the purpose of accomplishing and advancing its mission to carry on the work of Rosa Parks in youth development and civil rights education and advocacy.
(c) Audits
- The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development 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. The Secretary 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—
- minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net cost to the United States Government; and
- no funds, including applicable surcharges, are disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7(b) until the total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized by this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, winning design compensation, 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.