S. 1893 — Henrietta Lacks Congressional Gold Medal Act

This section states 10 congressional findings concerning the life of Henrietta Lacks (born August 1, 1920; died October 4, 1951), the non-consensual taking of her cervical tumor cells in 1951 that produced the first immortal human cell line (HeLa cells), their extensive use in biomedical research (including over 110,000 publications from 1953 to 2018), contributions to advances such as the polio vaccine and treatments for cancer, HIV/AIDS, hemophilia, leukemia, and Parkinson's disease, and her legacy in bioethics and informed consent.

This section authorizes the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to commemorate Henrietta Lacks in recognition of her immortal cells' contributions to global health, scientific research, quality of life, and patients' rights. The Secretary of the Treasury strikes the medal, which is then given to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research, with a sense of Congress that it also be displayed at locations associated with Lacks.

This section authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.

This section (1) designates medals struck pursuant to this Act as national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code, and (2) classifies such medals as numismatic items for purposes of the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund (31 U.S.C. §5134). (Thus, the revolving Fund—which supports production, administration, sale, and management of numismatic items such as medals—may be used without fiscal year limitation for these medals.)

This section authorizes charges against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund (i.e., the revolving fund financing Mint production of coins and numismatic items) for costs of medals struck under this Act. It further requires deposit of proceeds from sales of duplicate bronze medals into the fund.