HR 5309
Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025
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Bill overview
This bill honors Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering civil rights lawyer and judge, with a congressional gold medal. The bill recognizes her significant contributions to dismantling segregation and advancing equality in the United States, including her work on the Brown v. Board of Education case and her historic roles as the first African-American woman elected to the New York State Senate and as a federal judge. It posthumously awards a gold medal to her son and niece, and authorizes the minting of bronze duplicates for sale.
Key provisions
- Authorizes the issuance of a congressional gold medal to Constance Baker Motley.
- Designates the recipient of the gold medal as her son, Joel Motley III, and her niece, Constance Royster.
- Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to design and strike the gold medal.
- Permits the minting and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal.
- Specifies the funding source for the medals – the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
- Designates the medals as national medals for purposes of title 31, United States Code.
- Recognizes Motley’s achievements as the first African-American woman federal judge.
- Acknowledges her role in the Brown v. Board of Education case.
Who is affected
- African-American community
- Civil rights advocates
- Legal professionals
- Federal judges
- United States Mint
Notable changes
- Posthumous recognition of Constance Baker Motley’s legacy.
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 5309
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To posthumously award a congressional gold medal to Constance Baker Motley, in recognition of her enduring contributions and service to the United States.
This Act may be cited as the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025
.
Congress finds the following:
LDF), and fought tirelessly for 2 decades alongside Thurgood Marshall and other leading civil rights lawyers to dismantle segregation throughout the United States.
September 14, 2021, was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Constance Baker Motley.
The President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are authorized to make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous award, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of Constance Baker Motley, in recognition of her enduring contributions and service to the United States.
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.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
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 under this Act.
Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.