Honoring Charles M. Schulz
Dateline: 02/13/2000
Charles M. Schultz, creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip died Saturday night after a three-month battle with colon cancer at his home in Santa Rosa, California. Shultz was 77.
Schultz's farewell Sunday "Peanuts" is being published today and will be read by over 350 million fans in 75 countries.
On February 2, 2000, California Senator Diane Feinstein sponsored Senate Bill S.2060 - "to authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to Charles M. Schulz in recognition of his lasting artistic contributions to the Nation and the world, and for other purposes."
Senator Feinstein's bill also details the history of "Peanuts," the most popular comic strip in history. Here is the complete text of S.2060.
February 10, 2000
Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. BAUCUS, and Mr. HELMS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Charles M. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in St. Paul, Minnesota,
the son of Carl and Dena Schulz.
(2) Charles M. Schulz served his country in World War II, working his way up
from infantryman to staff sergeant and eventually leading a machine gun
squad. He kept morale high by decorating fellow soldiers' letters home with
cartoons of barracks life.
(3) After returning from the war, Charles M. Schulz returned to his love for
illustration, and took a job with `Timeless Topix'. He also took a second
job as an art instructor. Eventually his hard work paid off when the Saturday
Evening Post began purchasing a number of his single comic panels.
(4) It was in his first weekly comic strip, `L'il Folks', that Charlie Brown
was born. That comic strip, which was eventually renamed `Peanuts', became
the sole focus of Charles M. Schulz's career.
(5) Charles M. Schulz has drawn every frame of his strip, which runs seven
days a week, since it was created in October 1950. This is rare dedication
in the field of comic illustration.
(6) The `Peanuts' comic strip appears in 2,600 newspapers around the world,
and reaches approximately 335 million readers every day in 20 different
languages. Because of this, Charles M. Schulz is the most successful comic
illustrator in the world.
(7) Charles M. Schulz's television special, `A Charlie Brown Christmas', has
run for 34 consecutive years. In all, more than 60 animated specials have
been created based on `Peanuts' characters. Four feature films, 1,400 books,
and a hit Broadway musical about the `Peanuts' characters have also been
produced.
(8) Charles M. Schulz is a leader in the field of comic illustration and in
his community. He has paved the way for other artists in this field over the
last 50 years and continues to be praised for his outstanding achievements.
(9) Charles M. Schulz has given back to his community in many ways,
including owning and operating Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa,
California. The arena has become a favorite gathering spot for people of all
ages. Charles M. Schulz finances a yearly ice show that draws crowds from
all over the San Francisco Bay Area.
(10) Charles M. Schulz has given the Nation a unique sense of optimism,
purpose, and pride. Whether through the Great Pumpkin Patch, the Kite Eating
Tree, Lucy's Psychiatric Help Stand, or Snoopy's adventures with the Red
Baron, `Peanuts' has embodied human vulnerabilities, emotions, and
potential.
(11) Charles M. Schulz's lifetime of work has linked generations of
Americans and has become a part of the fabric of our national culture.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED- The President is authorized to present, on behalf
of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design to Charles M. Schulz in
recognition of his lasting artistic contributions to the Nation and the world.
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING- For the purpose of the presentation referred to in
subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred
to as the `Secretary') shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems,
devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may
strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under section 2
at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor,
materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold
medal.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter
51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) AUTHORIZATION- There is hereby authorized to be charged against the United
States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for
the cost of the medals authorized by this Act.
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE- Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze
medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public
Enterprise Fund.
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