President Bush signed into law a bill directing the Treasury to mint 350,000 silver dollars in 2012 "emblematic of the courage, pride, sacrifice, sense of duty, and history of the U.S. Infantry." A surcharge of $10 per coin will help the National Infantry Foundation establish an endowment to support the maintenance of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center.

The U.S. Army infantry was established on June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress ordered the formation of ten companies of riflemen. It is the oldest and largest branch of the Army. As many as 80 percent of all the servicemen and women who have died serving their country were part of the Infantry.

Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland [R-GA] introduced H.R. 3229, the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act, on July of 2007. Westmoreland said,

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Two commemorative silver dollar bills, which were introduced and passed in the House months ago, finally received a senatorial thumbs up on Saturday.

Congress burned the proverbial midnight oil and, on top of the commemorate silver dollar for Boy Scouts, passed legislation to honor the U.S. Army Infantry and the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center.

The bill, named the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act or H.R. 3229 for short, would have the U.S. Mint issue 350,000 silver $1 coins in the year 2012.

With the President’s very likely signature, the bill will become law. The resulting commemorative coin would then get designed to be:

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The U.S. House of Representatives was a busy chamber Tuesday with members passing major coin legislation. There are more than a dozen bills under consideration this year. Two were given a thumbs up by House and moved to the Senate for consideration while a third bill passed the Senate and will soon await Presidential signing.

CoinNews wrote yesterday about the House passage of the Army Infantry coin and the Senate’s affirmative nod for the commemorative American Disabled Veterans coin. On Tuesday, the House also passed Mother’s Day silver dollar coin legislation.

Here is a quick summary review to include links to the full text of each legislation, recorded votes and more:

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The U.S. House passed new legislation yesterday that would create a silver dollar coin honoring the U.S. Army Infantry, and the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center.

The bill, H.R. 3229, entitled National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act would have the U.S. Mint issue 350,000 silver $1 coins in the year 2012.

The coin legislation has moved to the Senate. Should it pass there and then receive Presidential signature, the bill would become law. The resulting commemorative coin would then get designed to be:

"Emblematic of the courage, pride, sacrifice, sense of duty, and history of the U.S. Infantry, in commemoration of the legacy of the U.S. Army Infantry and the establishment of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center."

H.R. 3229 was introduced by Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland [R-GA] in July of 2007. It enjoyed strong support with 290 cosponsors and passed the House with a unanimous voice vote. In a statement, Rep. Westmoreland said,

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