Currency: Ending the Penny and Rounding Cash Payments
The Senate passed this bill on August 10, 2026, and it now moves to the House for consideration. House leaders decide when or if the bill will receive a vote, so its future remains uncertain. It has not moved since the message was sent to the House on August 10, 2026.
While the bill has support from both parties, similar efforts to cut the penny have failed for years because of industry lobbying and public habit.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Cash-handling businesses like retailers and restaurants would need to update point-of-sale systems and train staff to round cash totals to the nearest nickel, since the bill requires 'any person selling goods or services in a cash transaction' to follow the new rounding rules. Over time this could reduce the hassle and cost of stocking and handling pennies, but the one-year transition creates a short-term compliance burden.
“any person selling goods or services in a cash transaction, entering into any other transaction that results in a payment or transfer of cash between the parties to the transaction, or paying cash wages to an employee as compensation shall round the payment in the following manner”
Held at the desk.
Received in the House.
The House has received the Senate-passed bill and will decide whether to take it up.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
The Senate voted to approve this bill. If the House already passed it, it goes to the President.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
The Senate voted to approve this bill. If the House already passed it, it goes to the President.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Common Cents Act
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.