H.R. 8244 (Introduced in House) — Granite Mountain Hotshots Commemorative Coin Act

Section 1 Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Granite Mountain Hotshots Commemorative Coin Act”.

Sec. 2 Findings

The Congress finds the following:

(1)

“Hotshots” are elite firefighters that specialize in the containment of wildfires.

(2)

On June 28, 2013, lighting ignited the Yarnell Hill Fire on a ridge west of Yarnell, Arizona, and the fire spread rapidly.

(3)

Firefighters from the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Granite Mountain Hotshots”), a crew within the Prescott Fire Department, were deployed to assist with the containment of the Yarnell Hill Fire.

(4)

On June 30, 2013, 19 firefighters from the Granite Mountain Hotshots perished while attempting to contain the Yarnell Hill Fire and preserve the lives and livelihoods of the residents of Yarnell. The 19 firefighters were—

(A)

Andrew Ashcraft, age 29;

(B)

Robert Caldwell, age 23;

(C)

Travis Carter, age 31;

(D)

Dustin Deford, age 24;

(E)

Christopher MacKenzie, age 30;

(F)

Eric Marsh, age 43;

(G)

Grant McKee, age 21;

(H)

Sean Misner, age 26;

(I)

Scott Norris, age 28;

(J)

Wade Parker, age 22;

(K)

John Percin, age 24;

(L)

Anthony Rose, age 23;

(M)

Jesse Steed, age 36;

(N)

Joe Thurston, age 32;

(O)

Travis Turbyfill, age 27;

(P)

William Warneke, age 25;

(Q)

Clayton Whitted, age 28;

(R)

Kevin Woyjeck, age 21; and

(S)

Garret Zuppiger, age 27.

(5)

Of the 20 Granite Mountain Hotshots fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire, only the lookout, Brendan McDonough, survived. Brendan McDonough is now a motivational speaker who honors the legacy of the 19 fallen Granite Mountain Hotshots.

(6)

The Yarnell Hill Fire was the deadliest wildfire in the history of the State of Arizona. The Yarnell Hill Fire was the deadliest wildfire in the United States for firefighters since the year 1933 and the third deadliest wildfire in the history of the United States. The Yarnell Hill Fire resulted in more firefighter deaths in the United States than any single occurrence since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

(7)

Every year, on June 30, residents of Yarnell honor the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

(8)

The Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park, located on the site of the Yarnell Hill Fire, was dedicated to the Granite Mountain Hotshots in the year 2016.

Sec. 3 Coin specifications

(a)

Denomination— The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Secretary”) shall mint and issue the following coin:

(1)

$5 gold coins— Not more than 50,000 $5 coins, which shall—

(A)

weigh 8.359 grams;

(B)

have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and

(C)

contain not less than 90 percent gold.

(2)

$1 silver coins— Not more than 400,000 $1 coins, which shall—

(A)

weigh 26.73 grams;

(B)

have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and

(C)

contain not less than 90 percent silver.

(3)

Half-dollar clad coins— Not more than 750,000 half-dollar coins which shall—

(A)

weigh 11.34 grams;

(B)

have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and

(C)

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 Design of coins

(a)

Design requirements—

(1)

In general— The designs of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the fight of the Granite Mountain Hotshots against the Yarnell Hill Fire in the year 2013.

(2)

Number of designs— The Secretary shall mint and issue 20 distinct designs under this Act, each of which will honor a different firefighter of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who fought the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30, 2013, by including on one side the name and likeness of such firefighter.

(3)

Designation and inscriptions— On each coin minted under this Act, there shall be—

(A)

a designation of the value of the coin;

(B)

an inscription of the year “2023”; and

(C)

inscriptions of the words “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “United States of America”, and “E Pluribus Unum”.

(b)

Selection— The design for the coins minted under this Act shall be—

(1)

selected by the Secretary after consultation with the Commission of Fine Arts; and

(2)

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 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2023.

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—

(1)

the face value of the coins;

(2)

the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to such coins; and

(3)

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 such 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 issued under this Act shall include a surcharge of—

(1)

$35 per coin for the $5 coin;

(2)

$10 per coin for the $1 coin; and

(3)

$5 per coin for the half-dollar coin.

(b)

Distribution— Subject to section 5134(f) 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 to the Yarnell Fire District for the purpose of wildfire prevention and wildfire education.

(c)

Audits— The recipient of surcharges under this Act 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 (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). 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—

(1)

minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net cost to the United States Government; and

(2)

no funds, including applicable surcharges, shall be disbursed to any recipient designated in section 6 until the total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized by this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 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.

Granite Mountain Hotshots Commemorative Coin Act