Push renewed for Marshals Service coin
by March 3, 2011 2:27 pm 71 views
Members of Arkansas’ Congressional Delegation are again trying to get legislation approved that would mint coins in commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the United States Marshals Service.
Some proceeds — potentially up to $5 million — from the coin sales would be used to help support the U.S. Marshals Museum to be built in Fort Smith.
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.
In June 2009, then U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers, filed HR 2799 to push for the coin. A similar action at the time was made in the U.S. Senate by then U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark.
In late 2010, Marshals Museum Director Jim Dunn was hoping to obtain the support of 67 U.S. Senators required to push the bill to a vote. As of Oct. 6, 2010, the bill had 56 sponsors in the Senate.
The commemorative coin, if the new legislation is approved, would be minted in 2014 to coincide with the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the Marshals Service. It would be available in two denominations, a $5 gold coin and a $1 silver coin, and would be the first commemorative coin to honor the United States Marshals Service.
“Sales of the coins could produce up to $5 million dollars for the U.S. Marshals Museum and additional money for other charities. Funding for the U.S. Marshals Museum and the other charities would come from coin sales and not tax revenue,” Dunn noted in his 2010 update to museum board members and the media.
On Thursday (Mar. 3), U.S. Sens. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., John Boozman, R-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, announced jointly they had introduced legislation to again push for the coin.
“The U.S. Marshals Service inspires others to live with justice, integrity and service,” Pryor said in the statement. "This commemorative coin and the museum in Fort Smith will honor the role and commitment of our U.S. Marshals Service.”
The statement from Pryor, Boozman and Womack included this note about the Marshals Service: “The United States Marshals Service has had major significance in the history in the United States and has directly contributed to its safety and preservation by serving as an instrument of civil authority used by all three branches of the United States Government. The first U.S. Marshals were appointed by President Washington more than 220 years ago. As Americans moved west in the 19th century, it was the U.S. Marshals that ensured federal courts’ orders and decisions were enforced and that there would be some semblance of law and order in areas like Western Arkansas which were far removed from Washington, D.C.”