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Smithsonian Institution Sesquicentennial Commemorative Coin Act of 1995

Public Law 104-96 · H.R. 2627 · 104th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Jan 10, 1996 · Commemorations

Sponsor: Rep. Robert Livingston (R-LA-1)

Cosponsors (303): Rep. Sam Johnson,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Smithsonian Institution Sesquicentennial Commemorative Coin Act of 1995 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue five-dollar gold coins and one-dollar silver coins emblematic of the scientific, educational, and cultural significance of the Smithsonian Institution. Authorizes the Secretary to issue five-dollar platinum coins in lieu of the gold coins.

Mandates that: (1) 85 percent of surcharges received from coin sales be paid by the Secretary to the Smithsonian Institution for such purposes as its Board of Regents determines to be appropriate; and (2) 15 percent of such surcharges be dedicated to supporting the operation and activities of the National Numismatic Collection at the National Museum of American History.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.

  1. Jan 10, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-96.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 29, 1995PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 22, 1995FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Dec 19, 1995FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Castle moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. Dec 7, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee
  10. Nov 17, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee
  11. Nov 14, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Financial Services Committee
  12. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.