U.S. Marshals coin not ‘off track’

The action by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., to block legislation authorizing the minting of a U.S. Marshals Commemorative Coin is more of a bump in the process than a full stop.

Members of the U.S. House voted Dec. 15 to approve the coin, which would provide up to $5 million in support for the U.S. Marshals Museum planned to be built in Fort Smith.

The commemorative coin is scheduled to be minted in 2014 to coincide with the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the Marshals Service. It would be available in three denominations, a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin and a half-dollar clad coin. The coins would be the first commemorative coin to honor the United States Marshals Service.

Language in the coin bill provides that $5 million from coin sales is to fund “the preservation, maintenance, and display of artifacts and documents.” Revenue from coin sales will also go to the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Law Enforcement Museum, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

In January 2007, the U.S. Marshals Service selected Fort Smith as the site for the national museum. The cost to build the 50,000-square-foot museum — including exhibit work — is estimated as high as $50 million. To date, museum officials have raised a little more than $9.1 million toward the construction of the museum.

But Coburn recently blocked consideration of the bill because he believed it would be a burden on taxpayers. The immediate concern among proponents of the legislation is that it could kill the process. But a staffer with the office of U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark, said the bill “is by no means off track.” The staffer explained that Coburn did not put a hold on the bill, and there are enough sponsors to bring it up for a roll call vote. Coburn’s action simply blocked a vote before Congress recessed for the holidays.

Boozman issued this comment on the situation: “The House passage of the bill gave us great momentum to gain the required number of cosponsors, which is a big hurdle. With more than two thirds of Senators supporting this bill I am confident that this will successfully pass in the new year.”

Jim Dunn, president and CEO of the U.S. Marshals Museum, said he is hopeful the legislation will be back on track following the holiday recess.

“We are cautiously optimistic that all of Senator Coburn’s questions will be answered in due course and that the coin legislation will be enacted,” Dunn said in statement. “The U.S. Marshals have a long history with Oklahoma, from pre-territorial days through the Oklahoma City bombing and beyond. The Museum will be of enormous benefit to Oklahoma and will create jobs there. The money that will come to the USMM is not taxpayer money — it is money generated by sales to private collectors.”