[House Report 108-463]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 108-463
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CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR PRESIDENT JOSE MARIA AZNAR OF SPAIN
_______
April 20, 2004.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Oxley, from the Committee on Financial Services, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2131]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Financial Services, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 2131) to award a congressional gold medal to
President Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, having considered the
same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend
that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 2
Committee Votes.................................................. 2
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 3
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 3
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 3
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 3
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 4
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 4
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 4
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 4
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 2131 authorizes the striking and presentation of a
Congressional Gold Medal to Jose Maria Aznar, the former
President of Spain, in recognition of the fact that he has been
a steadfast ally of the United States and a leader in the
global fight against terrorism.
Background and Need for Legislation
H.R. 2131 authorizes the striking and awarding of a
Congressional Gold Medal to former President Jose Maria Aznar
of Spain.
Born in Madrid in 1953, President Aznar was a tax inspector
and a leader of the Popular Alliance before being elected to
Parliament in 1989. He served as Spain's President from 1996
through 2004. During that time, the legislation notes,
President Aznar was a staunch ally of the United States,
particularly in the international fight against terrorism.
The legislation directs the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to
make appropriate arrangements for the presentation of the
medal, and allows for the striking and sale of duplicates of
the gold medal, in bronze. Proceeds from the sale of the
duplicates are to be applied toward the costs of designing and
striking the gold medal.
Hearings
The Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary
Policy, Trade and Technology held a hearing on March 10, 2004,
on H.R. 2768, the John Marshall Commemorative Coin Act; H.R.
2131, authorizing a Congressional Gold Medal for Spain's
President Jose MariaAznar; H.R. 1914, the Jamestown 400th
Anniversary Commemorative coin Act; and H.R. 3277, the Marine Corps
230th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act. The following witnesses
testified: The Honorable William H. Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the
United States; The Honorable Richard L. Armitage, Deputy Secretary of
State; The Honorable J. Steven Griles, Deputy Secretary of the
Interior; and Gen. Carl E. Mundy Jr. USMC (Ret.).
Committee Consideration
The Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary
Policy, Trade, and Technology met in open session on March 10,
2004 and approved H.R. 2131 for full Committee consideration.
The Committee on Financial Services met in open session on
March 17, 2004 and ordered H.R. 2131 reported to the House with
a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, without amendment.
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto. No
record votes were taken with in conjunction with the
consideration of this legislation. A motion by Mr. Oxley to
report the bill to the House with a favorable recommendation
was agreed to by a voice vote.
The following amendment was considered:
An amendment offered by Mr. Frank of Massachusetts,
No. 1, striking the word ``gold'' and inserting the
word ``silver'' in lieu thereof, was not agreed to by a
voice vote.
Committee Oversight Findings
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee held a hearing and made
findings that are reflected in this report.
Performance Goals and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee establishes the
following performance related goals and objectives for this
legislation:
The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall present a
Congressional Gold Medal to President Jose Maria Aznar of
Spain.
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that this
legislation would result in no new budget authority,
entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.
Committee Cost Estimate
The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
Congressional Budget Office Estimate
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate
provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, March 19, 2004.
Hon. Michael G. Oxley,
Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed estimate for H.R. 2131, a bill to award a
Congressional gold medal to President Jose Maria Aznar of
Spain.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth M. Robinson
(For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director).
Enclosure.
H.R. 2131--A bill to award a Congressional gold medal to President Jose
Maria Aznar of Spain
H.R. 2131 would authorize the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to
present a gold medal to President Jose Maria Aznar on behalf of
the Congress. To help recover the costs of the medal, the
legislation would authorize the Mint to strike and sell bronze
duplicates of the medal at a price that covers production costs
for both the medal and the duplicates.
Based on the costs of recent medals produced by the Mint,
CBO estimates that the act would not significantly increase
direct spending from the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund. We
estimate that the gold medal would cost about $35,000 to
produce in fiscal year 2004, including about $5,000 for the
cost of the gold and around $30,000 for the costs to design,
engrave, and manufacture the medal. CBO expects that the Mint
would recoup little of its costs by selling bronze duplicates
to the public.
H.R. 2131 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew
Pickford. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine,
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Federal Mandates Statement
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that the
Constitutional Authority of Congress to enact this legislation
is provided by Article 1, section 8, clause 1 (relating to the
general welfare of the United States) and clause 5 (relating to
the coinage of money).
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Findings
This section presents certain findings regarding President
Aznar's history as a strong ally of the United States and a
leader in the global fight against terrorism.
Section 2. Congressional gold medal
This section directs the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to
make appropriate arrangements to present to President Aznar a
medal of appropriate design and directs the Secretary of the
Treasury to strike the medal.
Section 3. Duplicate medals
This section authorizes the striking and sale of bronze
duplicates of the gold medal, with the proceeds of sales to
cover the cost of production.
Section 4. Status of medals
This section establishes the medals as national medals
treated as numismatic items.
Section 5. Authority to use fund amounts and proceeds of sale
This section authorizes the use of funds from the United
States Mint's Public Enterprise Fund to create the medal and
duplicates, and to return to the fund proceeds of any sales.