Public Law 118–109: To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the invaluable service that working dogs provide to society.

Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act

Dogs going back thousands of years have been tied to humans whether for protection, companionship, or assisting in daily activities.

The United States had an unofficial canine military presence assisting soldiers in the Civil War and World War I, but military K–9s did not become officially recognized until March 13, 1942. During the height of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq it is estimated that the United States military employed near 2,500 K–9s.

Military K–9s have seen service in every major United States combat since World War I and have been praised by military leadership as an indispensable asset for military, police, government, and private security teams around the world.

In 2000, Congress passed “Robby’s Law” which allowed for the adoption of military K–9s by law enforcement agencies, former handlers, and other care groups.

Since 2000, military K–9s have left service and gone onto work explosive detection for police forces, and work as service dogs for veterans and families.

Beyond their military working capacity, working dogs provide enhanced mobility assist and renewed independence for the injured and disabled. Service dogs are able to support veterans struggling after war, hear for those who are deaf, see for those who are blind, and even sense changes in a person’s body before a seizure. Working dogs play a vital role in improving the lives of many.

The service dog programs of America’s VetDogs were created to provide enhanced mobility and renewed independence to United States veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders with disabilities.

America’s VetDogs provides—138 STAT. 1598

The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Secretary”) shall mint and issue the following coins in commemoration of the invaluable service that working dogs provide to society.

(1)

$5 gold coins.—

(2)

$1 silver coins.—

(3)

Half-dollar clad coins.—

The coins minted under this Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.

For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

(2)

Designs and inscriptions.—

The designs for the coins minted under this Act shall be—

(1)

Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.

Only 1 facility of the United States Mint may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this Act.

The Secretary may issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2027.

The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of—

The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.

All sales of coins issued under this Act shall include a surcharge of—

Subject to section 5134(f)(1) of title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to America’s VetDogs for application to general expenses associated with the fulfillment of the mission of America’s VetDogs, including for costs associated with—

The Comptroller General of the United States shall have the right to examine such books, records, documents, and other data of each of the organizations referred to in subsection (b) as may be related to the expenditures of amounts paid under that subsection.

Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin would result in the number of commemorative coin programs issued during such year to exceed the annual 2 commemorative coin program issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The Secretary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out this subsection.

minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net cost to the United States Government; and

no funds, including applicable surcharges, are disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7 until the total cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized by this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping) is recovered by the United States Treasury, consistent with sections 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.

The budgetary effects of this section shall not be entered on either PAYGO scorecard maintained pursuant to section 4(d) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(d)).

The budgetary effects of this section shall not be entered on any PAYGO scorecard maintained for purposes of section 4106 of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress).