[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5363 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5363
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Robert Cleckler
(``Bobby'') Bowden, in honor of his achievements both on and off the
football field.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 8, 2023
Mr. Dunn of Florida (for himself, Mr. Donalds, Mr. Waltz, Mr. Webster
of Florida, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Posey, and Ms. Salazar)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal to Robert Cleckler
(``Bobby'') Bowden, in honor of his achievements both on and off the
football field.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Robert Cleckler (`Bobby') Bowden
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Robert Cleckler (``Bobby'') Bowden was born on November
8, 1929, in Birmingham, Alabama.
(2) Bobby Bowden served as head coach of the Florida State
University Seminoles from 1976 to 2009.
(3) While coaching at the Florida State University, Bobby
Bowden's teams won two national championships (1993 and 1999)
and 12 Atlantic Coast Conference titles.
(4) Bobby Bowden posted a 316-97-4 record in his 34 years
at Florida State University.
(5) Throughout his entire 44 years of coaching college
football, Bobby Bowden won a total of 377 games, making him one
of the winningest coaches in college football history.
(6) Bobby Bowden and wife, Ann Estock, his childhood
sweetheart, have been married for 72 years. The couple has six
children, 21 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
(7) In 1999, he coached what would be the first of many
games against a team coached by his son, ``The Bowden Bowl''.
This event was the first of its kind in the history of Division
I-A football.
(8) In 2004, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes'
organization began presenting an annual ``The National Bobby
Bowden Award'' to a football player for philanthropic work.
(9) In 2011, he was awarded the ``Children's Champion Award
for Leadership Development'' by the Children's Hunger Fund, a
charitable organization, in recognition of his humanitarian
work.
(10) In 2021, Bobby Bowden received the inaugural Florida
Governor's Medal of Freedom Award.
(11) Bobby Bowden leaves a legacy of leadership for his
contributions on the football field and in his community.
(12) While Bobby Bowden is recognized for his many football
accomplishments, he will be remembered as a family man who
counted all as part of his family and encouraged us all to
recognize our own humanity and love our many brothers and
sisters.
(13) We are better for having known him, even if we never
met him. He stood for our best, recognized our failings, and
believed we all had merit.
(14) Bobby Bowden's spirit is the American spirit of which
we can be proud and seek to emulate in both large and small
ways.
(15) Bobby Bowden never asked for accolades, and for this,
and the totality of his life and his love, we honor him in
perpetuity.
SEC. 3. 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 posthumous presentation, on behalf of
the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration to
Mr. Robert Cleckler (``Bobby'') Bowden, in recognition of his
achievements both on and off the football field.
(b) Design and Striking.--
(1) In general.--For the purpose of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (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.
(2) Image.--The emblems, devices, and inscriptions
determined by the Secretary shall include an inscription of the
name of Robert Cleckler (``Bobby'') Bowden.
(c) Disposition Of Medal.--Following the award of the gold medal
under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to Mr. Robert
Cleckler (``Bobby'') Bowden's next of kin.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
(a) Striking of Duplicates.--The Secretary may strike duplicates in
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3.
(b) Selling of Duplicates.--The Secretary may sell such duplicates
under subsection (a) at a price sufficient to cover the costs of such
duplicates, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--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 section 5134 of title 31,
United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authority 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 costs of the medals struck
pursuant to this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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