U.S. Lawmakers Push for Permanent Ban on Central Bank Digital Currency

A coalition of U.S. lawmakers is taking a stand against the potential issuance of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) by the U.S. central bank, emphasizing the need for a permanent prohibition. According to Cointelegraph, Congressman Michael Cloud, along with 28 other members of Congress, addressed a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, urging the prevention of a CBDC in the United States. The letter follows a proposed amendment to the Federal Reserve Act, which aims to delay the issuance of a CBDC until 2031. This amendment is part of the extensive “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” (HR 6644), recently released by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. However, Cloud and his colleagues argue that this temporary measure is insufficient to safeguard American citizens. The lawmakers insist that a permanent ban is necessary, warning that CBDCs could lead to unconstitutional financial surveillance and grant the Federal Reserve excessive control over Americans' finances, infringing on civil liberties and financial freedom. They describe a CBDC as inherently anti-American and stress the urgency of addressing this issue before it becomes too late. The letter criticizes the amendment for incorporating a diluted version of the “Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act” (HR 1919), initially introduced by Congressman Tom Emmer in June 2025. Although the bill passed the House on July 17, it has not yet secured full Senate approval. The lawmakers emphasize the need to restore the strong language of HR 1919, as the current amendment does not prevent the Federal Reserve from researching a CBDC. Additionally, Senator Mike Lee introduced a separate bill, the No CBDC Act (S 464), in February 2025, aiming to prohibit the Federal Reserve or Treasury from issuing a CBDC. However, this bill has stalled in Congress, leaving the future of CBDC legislation uncertain.