Key Takeaways

• A coalition of 29 US lawmakers is calling for a permanent ban on CBDCs, labeling them “inherently anti-American.”

• The group argues that a proposed temporary ban until 2031 is insufficient to protect financial privacy.

• The “No CBDC Act” and the “Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act” remain central to the debate over the Federal Reserve’s power.

US lawmakers argue it must end “before it is too late”

The battle over the future of the U.S. dollar has reached a fever pitch in Congress. Representative Michael Cloud, joined by 28 colleagues, sent a stern letter to House and Senate leadership this Friday demanding a total, permanent prohibition of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

While the current “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” (HR 6644) contains an amendment to bar the Federal Reserve from issuing a CBDC until 2031, Cloud and his allies argue this merely kicks the can down the road. They believe the Fed must be stopped now to prevent the emergence of a “surveillance state” where unelected officials can monitor and control the private finances of every American citizen.

Protecting Civil Liberties from the “Surveillance State”

The lawmakers’ primary concern is that a CBDC would grant the Federal Reserve unprecedented power, violating constitutional protections and financial freedom. They are pushing for the “Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act” (HR 1919), introduced by Tom Emmer, to be restored to its full strength.

Unlike the current watered-down amendments, the original bill would explicitly prevent the Fed from even studying a CBDC or using it to implement monetary policy. With Senator Mike Lee’s “No CBDC Act” also stalling, the coalition is making it clear: they view any digital dollar controlled by the central bank as a direct threat to the American way of life.

Final Thoughts

The massive push to ban CBDCs permanently really boils down to one thing: a total lack of trust in centralized tech. The big question for 2026 is whether the ‘anti-American’ labels being thrown around will actually lead to a new law, or if it’s all just political noise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do lawmakers want to ban CBDCs?
They fear it will lead to government surveillance and the loss of individual financial privacy.

What is HR 6644?
A housing-related bill that currently includes a temporary ban on CBDCs until the year 2031.

Is the Federal Reserve currently issuing a CBDC?
No, the Fed is only in the research phase, though lawmakers want to stop even that research.