Bill · H.R. 8227· House(119-HR-8227)
Paul Laurence Dunbar Commemorative Coin Act
- Introduced
- 4/9/2026
- Last activity
- 4/9/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- Sponsored by
- Eleanor Norton
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, called the "Paul Laurence Dunbar Commemorative Coin Act," requires the Secretary of the Treasury to create special coins to honor Paul Laurence Dunbar. The Treasury will mint $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins. These coins will be issued during a one-year period starting January 1, 2028. Money collected from surcharges on the sale of these coins will be paid to the Dunbar Alumni Federation. The bill ensures that the government will not pay any net cost to produce these coins.
Yes· 3 of 10
Would Black Americans be better off under this?+5
The bill honors a prominent African-American poet and supports an institution that was the first public high school for African-American students.
Would students be better off under this?+4
Directly benefits students through scholarships and enhanced school activities funded by the coin surcharges.
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?+3
Provides scholarship opportunities for students and graduates of Dunbar High School.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Financial Support for Students: The Dunbar Alumni Federation, which receives the surcharges from coin sales, provides scholarships and financial support to students and graduates of Dunbar High School (Section 2 and Section 7).
- Student Activity Funding: Surcharges paid to the Federation help fund development activities such as the Band, the Debate Team, the Ski Team, athletics, and the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (Section 2).
- Educational and Historical Preservation: The Federation uses its resources to enhance education for students and collects artifacts to chronicle the history of Dunbar High School (Section 2).
- No Cost to Taxpayers: The bill requires the Secretary to ensure that minting and issuing these coins results in no net cost to the United States Government (Section 8).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Increased Cost for Buyers: People purchasing these coins must pay a price that includes the face value, the cost of production, and a surcharge of $5, $10, or $35 depending on the coin (Section 6 and Section 7).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For African Americans+5Good For Students+4Good For Young Adults+3Good For Children+2Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Urban Residents+1
- Education And Technology
- Improves College Affordability+2Increases Public School Funding+2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Fiscal Responsibility+2
- 4/9/2026
- Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E308)
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- Introduced in House