To present a congressional gold medal to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.
Public Law 105-215 · H.R. 3156 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Jul 29, 1998 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Rep. Amo Houghton (R-NY-31)
Cosponsors (293): Rep. Newton Gingrich, Rep. Dick Gephardt,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to present a gold medal to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela in recognition of his life-long dedication to the abolition of apartheid and the promotion of reconciliation among the people of the Republic of South Africa.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike a gold medal and sell duplicates in bronze at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals.
Declares such medals to be national medals. Authorizes a maximum charge against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund to pay for the costs of the medals.
Mandates that proceeds from sales of duplicate bronze medals be deposited in such Fund.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Financial Services Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.
- Jul 29, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-215.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 17, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 14, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 16, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Castle moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Feb 20, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Domestic and International Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee
- Feb 4, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Financial Services Committee
- 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.