H.R. 69 — Introduced in House

I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 69 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 6, 2015 Ms. Jackson Lee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Malala Yousafzai, a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace, in recognition of her devoted service to education, justice, and equality in Pakistan. 1. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Malala Yousafzai, a young fifteen-year-old girl, took the initiative to stand against the abusive, uncaring, and cold-hearted members of the Taliban in Pakistan. (2) Malala Yousafzai understood the danger she faced when sacrificing to promote education for women. (3) Malala Yousafzai did not let the fear of danger prevent her from being an activist for justice in Pakistan. (4) The first step in fighting for justice for Malala Yousafzai was blogging about life under Taliban rule as the Taliban militants seized the Swat Valley of Pakistan. (5) Malala Yousafzai rose to prominence and the world was given the opportunity to see the real lives of many civilians in Pakistan. (6) On October 9, 2012, the life of Malala Yousafzai was threatened merely because she was a young girl who advocated for access to education, justice, and equality. (7) A Taliban militant attempted to assassinate Malala Yousafzai while she was riding on a school bus, because of her desire for all Pakistanis to have an opportunity to receive an education, regardless of gender. (8) Following a cowardly attack on Malala Yousafzai, her message gained international popularity for showing the accurate face of Pakistan. (9) Malala Yousafzai is a symbol of hope in a country long beset by violence and despair. (10) At age 17, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. (11) Malala Yousafzai’s struggle against the suppression of children and young people was cited by the Nobel Committee as making her deserving of the honor. (12) Thorbjørn Jagland, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said that Malala Yousafzai’s heroic struggle for the right of girls to education has demonstrated that children and young people can contribute to improving their own situation. (13) The struggle for the lives and futures of Pakistani children continues even with the murder of 132 children while at school at the hands of the Taliban. (14) Malala Yousafzai represents the future of Pakistan, a young Muslim girl who is the new face of Pakistan and an advocate for human rights for women in Pakistan. 2. Congressional gold medal (a) Presentation authorized The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design, to Malala Yousafzai in recognition of her devoted service to education, justice, and equality in Pakistan. (b) Design and striking For the purpose of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereinafter 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. 3. Duplicate medals The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. 4. Status of medals (a) National Medals The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. (b) Numismatic Items For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 5. Authority to use fund amounts; proceeds of sale (a) Authorization To use fund amounts There is authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the cost of the medals struck pursuant to this Act. (b) Proceeds of sale Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.