Congress May Mark Rights Act Anniversary With Coin

WASHINGTON — Congress is advancing legislation to mark the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act with a commemorative silver dollar.

The House passed the measure without opposition Tuesday, and a similar bill is pending in the Senate, sponsored by Senators Stabenow, a Democrat of Michigan, and Obama, a Democrat of Illinois.

House sponsor John Lewis, a Democrat of Atlanta and former civil rights leader, said the legislation is more than symbolic. Sales of the limited-edition coin would generate some $2.5 million to be donated to the United Negro College Fund for scholarships and other expenses.

The bill, also backed by Reps. Deborah Pryce, a Republican of Ohio, and Vic Snyder, a Democrat of Arkansas, had stalled for two years, partly because Congress limits itself to just two commemorative coins per year.

The bill would direct the United States Mint to produce 350,000 $1 coins to be sold beginning in 2014, marking the anniversary of the landmark law's signing in 1964.