Commems Collection Modern: 2004 Lewis And Clark Bicentennial - 106th Congress

The pre-cursor activities of Congress to the events described in this post can be found here: 2004 Lewis and Clark Bicentennial - 105th Congress

Representative Doug Bereuter (R-NE) re-introduced his Lewis and Clark Bicentennial coin bill during the opening days of the First Session of the 106th Congress (January 1999). The bill essentially duplicated the language of the bill he introduced in the previous Congress, continuing the request for a two-coin program (Silver Dollar - 200,000 and Silver Half Dollar - 200,000).

Bereuter did clean up the "date issue" of the his previous coin bill. The new bill's language specified that "2004" was to appear on the coins, in addition to the "1804-1806" dual date. Also, the time period for striking authorization was updated to 2004 (from the previous 2003).

Upon introduction, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Financial Service, with a further referral to its Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy. The bill, however, was not reported out of Committee.

Seeing no action on his coin bill, Bereuter introduced an updated version of his bill in March 1999 - it was then a one-coin bill. The new bill dropped the Silver Half Dollar and increased the requested mintage for the Silver Dollar from 200,000 to 500,000. The "2004" provisions discussed above continued to be included.

As with the bill introduced in the 105th Congress, the new bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services, with a further referral to its Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy. Before the Committee/Subcommittee could report on the bill, Representative Bereuter moved to suspend the rules and pass it.

During his remarks regarding the bill, Bereuter noted that the Citizens Coin
Advisory Committee (a Committee authorized by Congress) recommended in its 1997 Report, that the Lewis and Clark Expedition be commemorated with a coin and that his bill responded to such recommendation.

The House subsequently passed the bill and sent it on to the Senate. In the Senate, however, it was not acted upon beyond referral to the Senate Committee on Banking.

As in the 105th Congress, Senator Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND) introduced a companion one-coin Lewis and Clark bill in the Senate. It fared no better than Bereuter's bill.

In November 1999, James A. Leach (R-IA) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that called for commemorative coin programs for the Leif Ericsson Millennium, the Capitol Visitors Centerand the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. The three-coin program bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services.

Immediately following the referral, Representative Leach moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. The motion carried, and the House immediately considered the bill. After hearing words of support from several Representatives - including Leach - the House passed the three-coin bill and sent it on to the Senate. The Senate passed the bill without issue via Unanimous Consent. US President William "Bill" Clinton signed the bill into law on December 6, 1999.

Note: The Lewis and Clark Bicentennial coin language incorporated into the Leach bill had the same "Findings", coin provisions and sponsor/beneficiaries as Bereuter's standalone bills.

Though they would have to wait several years, collectors were finally assured of getting Lewis and Clark Bicentennial silver dollars!

2004 Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Silver Dollar




For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, see: Commems Collection.