Today, Dec. 26, President George Bush signed into law H.R. 2764, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2008. While the President was unhappy with portions of the bill:

"…I am disappointed in the way the Congress compiled this legislation, including abandoning the goal I set early this year to reduce the number and cost of earmarks by half. Instead, the Congress dropped into the bill nearly 9,800 earmarks that total more than $10 billion. These projects are not funded through a merit-based process and provide a vehicle for wasteful Government spending…"

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In a blaze of actions and to get home for the holidays, the Senate and House tossed together a several hundred page bill named, The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008. The bill has been given to the President and while there’s no guarantee, the signing of it seems likely.

(Editor’s update: President Bush signed the act into law Dec. 26.)

Even with the latest and greatest computer, the digital document takes seconds to load. Reading it in its entirety… well, that’s hours of tedium. Thanks to modern search tools, quicker inspection is possible. And upon review, the bill contains a few nuggets of interest for coin collectors.

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The new Presidential $1 coins and the words "In God We Trust" are back in debate. A new legislative bill, S.2417, has been placed on the table and seeks changes to the motto’s placement.

Since the beginning of its mintage, the new dollar coin has faced extra scrutiny due solely to those powerful words, or lack of them. While a very small segment of the population would just as soon see the motto forever removed, most appreciate the significance of it appearing on coinage since the Civil War.

Then there are many who take issue with the new $1 coin’s design, believing the motto lacks prominence on its edge.

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