Make Sense Not Cents Act

Bill: 119-s-1554
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2025-05-01
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Latest action: action_date: 2025-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1554 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 1, 2025 Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Lee ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To amend title 31, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from minting or issuing 1-cent coins.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Make Sense Not Cents Act . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that Congress has the sole authority to coin money and regulate currency. 3. Discontinuation of 1-cent coins (a) In general The Secretary of the Treasury may not mint or issue a 1-cent coin. (b) Technical and conforming amendments (1) Title 31, United States Code, is amended— (A) in section 5112— (i) in subsection (a)— (I) by striking paragraph (6); and (II) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (12) as paragraphs (6) through (11), respectively; (ii) in subsection (b), by striking the eighth sentence; (iii) by striking subsection (c); (iv) in subsection (i), by striking (7), (8), (9), and (10) each place the term appears and inserting (6), (7), (8), and (9) ; (v) in subsection (j), by striking (7), (8), (9), or (10) and inserting (6), (7), (8), or (9) ; and (vi) in subsection (v), by striking paragraph (12) each place the term appears and inserting paragraph (11) ; (B) in section 5113(a), by striking the third sentence; and (C) in section 5132(a), by striking through (6) each place the term appears and inserting through (5) . (2) Section 408(m)(3)(A)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking paragraph (7), (8), (9), or (10) and inserting paragraph (6), (7), (8), or (9) . 4. No effect on legal tender Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, one-cent coins are legal tender in the United States for all debts, public and private, public charges, taxes, and duties, regardless of the date of minting or issue.