July 13, 2026.
     Hon. Mike Johnson,
     Speaker, House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Hakeem Jeffries,
     Minority Leader, House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries: On
     behalf of the restaurant industry, we urge Congress to pass
     the Common Cents Act (H.R. 3074) to establish national
     rounding guidance and a safe harbor for restaurants that need
     to round when exact change cannot be provided. Restaurant
     operators transact more than $1 trillion in sales annually
     and more than 1 in 4 of those purchases are paid for in cash.
     When operators can't provide exact change, it creates
     friction at checkout, frustrating customers. In a highly
     competitive industry, like restaurants, any change to the
     hospitality our customers expect could mean a lost return
     sale for an operator.
       Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association
     represents the U.S. restaurant and foodservice industry,
     which includes more than 1 million establishments and employs
     15.7 million Americans. In 2025, the industry generated $1.4
     trillion in sales and remains one of the nation's largest
     employers--accounting for one in ten U.S. jobs. Nearly 90
     percent of restaurant establishments are small businesses
     with fewer than 50 employees, underscoring the industry's
     vital role in supporting local economies nationwide.
       The Association appreciates the bipartisan dedication of
     Congresswoman McClain, Congressman Garcia, Chairman Hill and
     Ranking Member Waters to craft this bipartisan solution.
       We hope you can support the Common Cents Act so that
     restaurant operators across the country can continue to
     provide the highest level of hospitality to our cash-paying
     customers.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Dan Roehl,
     Vice President, Federal Government Relations.
                                  ____

                                The Food Industry Association,

                                                    July 10, 2026.
     Hon. Lisa McClain (R-MI),
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. French Hill (R-AR),
     Chairman, House Financial Services Committee,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Robert Garcia (D-CA),
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Maxine Waters (D-CA),
     Ranking Member, House Financial Services Committee,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives McClain and Garcia, Chairman Hill, and
     Ranking Member Waters: On behalf of FMI--The Food Industry
     Association, I write with our endorsement of the revised
     Common Cents Act, H.R. 3074, to establish a federal law
     pertaining to rounding of cash transactions when pennies are
     unavailable to make exact change. Enactment of H.R. 3074 is
     of the utmost importance for grocery customers and food
     retailers alike.
       FMI is very grateful for the leadership of Representatives
     McClain and Garcia in sponsoring H.R. 3074, and Chairman Hill
     and Ranking Member Waters for their thoughtful deliberations
     in reaching bipartisan agreement to ensure that clarity on
     rounding of cash transactions is provided for customers,
     employees, and grocery stores and other main street
     businesses around the country.
       FMI's retail members, which range in size from independent
     operators to regional and large national and international
     businesses and brands, operate 45,000 grocery stores and
     12,000 supermarket pharmacies. The food industry ultimately
     touches the lives of more than 100 million U.S. households
     per week. Providing grocery customers with the ability to use
     cash for purchases is an important service and is the law in
     several states and localities. Not only do grocers accept
     cash at registers, self-checkout stations, and vending
     machines, but they also offer check-cashing services to
     customers and employees.
       Since the ceased minting of the penny, grocery stores
     across the country have experienced an inability to provide
     exact change to cash-paying customers and have had no choice
     but to round to the nearest nickel when exact change is
     unavailable. In the absence of a federal law specifying the
     parameters of rounding cash transactions to the nearest
     nickel, there has been a lot of confusion for customers, and
     grocers have been exposed to possible litigation and
     potential violation of federal, state, and local laws.
     Further, without enactment of a federal law, many states have
     enacted laws or guidance on rounding cash transactions which
     has created a patchwork of differing' requirements across the
     country--an untenable situation for customers and grocers.
       H.R. 3074 addresses operations and legal concerns that
     grocers have had as a result of the ceased minting of the
     penny and diminished ability to obtain pennies to make exact
     change for cash transactions. The legislation: specifies, but
     does not mandate, the ability of businesses to round down and
     up to the nearest nickel for cash transactions when pennies
     are not available to make exact change, and enables
     businesses to choose to round in favor of a customer;
     provides protection so that businesses will not be in
     violation of federal, state, tribal, or local laws pertaining
     to the ceased minting of the penny if rounding under H.R.
     3074 is utilized for cash transactions; and stipulates that
     for employer-to-employee payments in cash, the amount must be
     rounded up to the nearest nickel.
       In addition, H.R. 3074 provides clarity for grocery
     customers and addresses SNAP retailers' concerns about
     violating the SNAP equal treatment provisions since the
     ceased minting of the penny. Without exact change, stores
     have no choice but to round to the nearest nickel for cash-
     paying customers, meaning these customers would be paying a
     slightly different total than SNAP customers who use a SNAP
     EBT card for purchases. If a SNAP retailer without exact
     change is forced into the position of rounding cash
     transactions, they would be in violation of the SNAP equal
     treatment provisions which prohibit both negative treatment
     (discriminatory practices) and preferential treatment
     (incentive practices). H.R. 3074 addresses the implications
     from the ceased minting of the penny on this SNAP policy.
       Again, thank you for your leadership in advancing the
     Common Cents Act, H.R. 3074. Enactment of H.R. 3074 is
     urgently needed for grocery customers and food retailers to
     address confusions and the myriad of operations and legal
     concerns caused by the ceased minting of the penny.
           Sincerely,
                                                Christine Pollack,
                             Vice President, Government Relations.

  Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, it is time to modernize our currency
policy and bring some commonsense back to Washington. I urge my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation and
vote ``yes.''
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Garcia), who is also the ranking member of the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
  Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to co-lead this
legislation with Representative Lisa McClain, and I rise, of course, in
strong support of this bill.
  As has been said, we know that a penny costs taxpayers 3.7 cents to
produce, so it makes zero sense to spend almost 4 cents creating only 1
cent.
  This bill is common sense. It has bipartisan support, and it saves
taxpayers money and reduces waste.
  In 2023 alone, the Mint lost approximately $180 million making
pennies. The reality is that the penny now is just out of date.
  As the cost of living increases for many, with folks tapping
technology