H.R. 5309: Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025
Sponsor
Rosa DeLauro
Democrat · CT-3
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Sep 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Why it matters
With 196 cosponsors and Constance Baker Motley's legacy spanning Brown v. Board of Education, the federal bench, and New York politics, the bill turns a major civil rights record into a formal national tribute now.
Operationally, the bill is straightforward. The President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House would arrange the award, while the Secretary of the Treasury would strike the medal with an image of Constance Baker Motley and an inscription of her name. The presentation would go to her son, Joel Motley III, and her niece, Constance Royster, with the medal ultimately given to Joel Motley III. The Treasury Secretary may also strike and sell bronze duplicates at a price high enough to cover labor, materials, dies, machinery, and overhead. Costs would be paid from the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, and proceeds from duplicate sales would go back into that same fund. The bill does not specify a dollar amount, which is typical for this kind of tribute measure.
What does H.R. 5309 do?
Posthumous gold medal for 1921-born pioneer
The bill authorizes a posthumous congressional gold medal for Constance Baker Motley, who was born in 1921 in New Haven, Connecticut, and died on September 28, 2005.
Treasury must design and strike medal
The Secretary of the Treasury must strike the medal, and the design must include an image of Constance Baker Motley and an inscription of her name.
Presentation to 2 family members
The medal would be presented to Joel Motley III, her son, and Constance Royster, her niece, with final disposition of the gold medal going specifically to Joel Motley III.
Bronze duplicates sold at cost-covering price
The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell bronze duplicate medals, but the sale price must be high enough to cover labor, materials, dies, machinery, and overhead.
Findings cite 10 Supreme Court cases
Congress anchors the tribute in specific achievements, including that Motley argued 10 major civil rights cases before the Supreme Court, won 9, and lost 1 — Swain v. Alabama, 380 U.S. 202 (1965).
Career milestones span 1943 to 1986
The bill records her Bachelor of Arts in economics from New York University in 1943, law degree from Columbia University in 1946, election to the New York State Senate in 1964, service as Manhattan Borough President in 1965, federal judicial appointment in 1966, elevation to Chief Judge in 1982, and senior status in 1986.
Who benefits from H.R. 5309?
Constance Baker Motley's family
Joel Motley III and Constance Royster receive the formal presentation, and Joel Motley III ultimately receives the gold medal itself. The bill also publicly recognizes a family legacy that includes her surviving son, 3 grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Civil rights historians and educators
The bill preserves a detailed federal record of Motley's achievements, including her role in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 and her 9 wins out of 10 major Supreme Court civil rights cases.
Women and Black legal professionals
The measure elevates a trailblazer identified in the bill as the first African-American woman elected to the New York State Senate, the first African-American woman and first woman to serve as Manhattan Borough President, and the first African-American woman and fifth woman appointed or confirmed to a federal judgeship.
The U.S. Mint and medal collectors
The Mint gets authority to produce and sell bronze duplicates, and collectors gain access to an officially authorized commemorative item classified as a 'national medal' and a 'numismatic item' under title 31.
Who is affected by H.R. 5309?
Secretary of the Treasury
The Treasury Secretary is responsible for striking the gold medal, ensuring it includes Motley's image and name, and managing any bronze duplicate sales at a cost-covering price.
President pro tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House
These two congressional leaders are assigned the ceremonial responsibility for awarding the posthumous congressional gold medal.
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund
The fund would cover the costs of striking the medals, and all proceeds from bronze duplicate sales must be deposited back into the same fund.
Public institutions shaping national memory
Congress, schools, museums, and courts are affected symbolically because the bill codifies specific dates and milestones — including her 1921 birth, 2021 birth centennial, 1966 judicial appointment, and 1982 elevation to Chief Judge — into the federal historical record.
H.R. 5309 Common Questions
How many Supreme Court civil rights cases did Constance Baker Motley argue and win?
According to HR5309 Section 2, Constance Baker Motley argued 10 major civil rights cases before the Supreme Court, winning 9 and losing 1.
Was Constance Baker Motley the only female attorney on the Brown v. Board of Education legal team?
Yes. Under the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 (Section 2), she was the only female attorney on the LDF legal team for Brown v. Board of Education.
Which Supreme Court case did Constance Baker Motley lose?
According to HR5309 Section 2, her one loss among 10 major Supreme Court civil rights cases was Swain v. Alabama, 380 U.S. 202 (1965).
Can the U.S. Mint sell bronze Constance Baker Motley medals?
Yes. Under the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 (Section 4), the Treasury Secretary may strike and sell bronze duplicate medals.
How much will bronze duplicate Constance Baker Motley medals cost?
HR5309 does not set a dollar amount. Section 4 says the price must be high enough to cover labor, materials, dies, machinery, and overhead.
Who gets the Constance Baker Motley Congressional Gold Medal under HR5309?
Under HR5309 Section 3, the medal would be presented to her son Joel Motley III and her niece Constance Royster, with the gold medal ultimately given to Joel Motley III.
Was Constance Baker Motley the first African-American woman elected to the New York State Senate?
Yes. According to HR5309 Section 2, she became the first African-American woman elected to the New York State Senate in 1964.
Was Constance Baker Motley the first African-American woman federal judge?
Yes. Under the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 (Section 2), she was appointed in 1966 as the first African-American woman and the fifth woman confirmed to a federal judgeship.
Does the Constance Baker Motley medal have to include her image and name?
Yes. Under the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 (Section 3), the gold medal must include an image of Constance Baker Motley and an inscription of her name.
Where does the money from bronze Constance Baker Motley medal sales go?
According to HR5309 Section 6, proceeds from bronze duplicate medal sales must be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Based on H.R. 5309 bill text
HR5309 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Sep 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
About the Sponsor
Rosa DeLauro
Democrat, Connecticut's 3rd congressional district · 35 years in Congress
Committees: Appropriations
View full profile →
Cosponsors (196)
This bill has 196 cosponsors: 179 Democrats, 17 Republicans. Cosponsors represent 40 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 37 more.
Robert Aderholt
Republican · AL
Al Green
Democrat · TX
Gabe Amo
Democrat · RI
Mark Amodei
Republican · NV
Becca Balint
Democrat · VT
Nanette Barragán
Democrat · CA
Joyce Beatty
Democrat · OH
Sanford Bishop
Democrat · GA
Brendan Boyle
Democrat · PA
Shontel Brown
Democrat · OH
Salud Carbajal
Democrat · CA
André Carson
Democrat · IN
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Financial Services Committee
25 of 54 committee members cosponsored
2 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 5309 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Financial Services
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Introduced
- Sep 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Sep 11, 2025
Official Sources
Official Congress.gov page for the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025, with status, text, and actions.
Congress.gov legislative search results for congressional gold medal measures, useful for context on how tribute bills are handled.
Official Library of Congress resource on Brown v. Board of Education, relevant because the bill highlights Motley's role on the legal team.
H.R. 5309 Bill Text
“To posthumously award a congressional gold medal to Constance Baker Motley, in recognition of her enduring contributions and service to the United States.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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