I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2878

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to redesign $1 Federal reserve 

notes so as to incorporate the preamble to the Constitution of the 

United States, a list describing the Articles of the Constitution, and 

a list describing the Amendments to the Constitution, on the reverse 

side of such notes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 14, 2005

Mr. CANTOR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Financial Services 

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to redesign $1 

Federal reserve notes so as to incorporate the preamble 

to the Constitution of the United States, a list describing 

the Articles of the Constitution, and a list describing 

the Amendments to the Constitution, on the reverse side 

of such notes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Liberty Bill Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

6 The Congress finds that—
2

•HR 2878 IH 

1 (1) many Americans are unaware of the provi2 sions of the Constitution of the United States, one 

3 of the most remarkable and important documents in 

4 world history; 

5 (2) an abbreviated version of the Constitution, 

6 consisting of the preamble, a list of the Articles, and 

7 a list of the Amendments, could easily be placed on 

8 the reverse side of $1 Federal reserve notes; 

9 (3) the placement of an abbreviated version of 

10 the Constitution on $1 Federal reserve notes would 

11 remind the American people of the historical impor12 tance of the Constitution and its impact on their 

13 lives today; 

14 (4) the preamble would remind Americans of 

15 the blessings of liberty; 

16 (5) the Articles would remind Americans of the 

17 framework of the United States Government; 

18 (6) the Amendments would remind Americans 

19 of the historical changes to this living document that 

20 forms the very core of the American experience; and 

21 (7) people throughout the world would also 

22 learn about the framework of a republican govern23 ment, the blessings of liberty, and the ideals of 

24 human rights through the exchange of American 

25 currency. 
3

•HR 2878 IH 

1 SEC. 3. REDESIGN OF REVERSE SIDE OF FEDERAL RE2 SERVE NOTES. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5114 of title 31, United 

4 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol5 lowing new subsection: 

6 ‘‘(d) LIBERTY BILLS.—

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the require8 ments of subsection (b) (relating to the inclusion of 

9 the inscription ‘In God We Trust’ on all United 

10 States currency) and the 8th undesignated para11 graph of section 16 of the Federal Reserve Act, the 

12 design of the reverse side of the lowest denomination 

13 of Federal reserve notes shall incorporate the pre14 amble to the Constitution of the United States, a list 

15 describing the Articles of the Constitution, and a list 

16 describing the Amendments to the Constitution. 

17 ‘‘(2) DESIGN.—Subject to paragraph (3), the 

18 preamble to the Constitution of the United States 

19 and lists describing the Articles and Amendments of 

20 the Constitution shall appear on the reverse side of 

21 the $1 Federal reserve notes in the following format:
4

•HR 2878 IH 

1 ‘‘(3) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—The require2 ments of this subsection shall not be construed as—

3 ‘‘(A) prohibiting the inclusion of any other 

4 inscriptions or material on the reverse side of 

5 Federal reserve notes which the Secretary may 

6 determine to be necessary or appropriate; or 

7 ‘‘(B) limiting any other authority of the 

8 Secretary with regard to the design of Federal 

9 reserve notes, including the adoption of any de10 sign features to deter the counterfeiting of 

11 United States currency.’’. 

12 (b) DATE OF APPLICATION.—The amendment made 

13 by subsection (a) shall apply to the lowest denomination 

14 of Federal reserve notes which are first placed into circula15 tion after December 31, 2005. 

16 (c) SUNSET PROVISION.—Federal reserve notes bear17 ing the design required under the amendment made by 

18 subsection (a) shall only be issued during the 2-year period 
5

•HR 2878 IH 

1 beginning on the date such notes are first issued pursuant 

2 to subsection (b).

Æ