H.R. 10167 · Where this bill is now
Passed both chambers
House: Passed Sep 14, 2026, by voice vote; Senate: Passed Sep 28, 2026, by unanimous consent
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryEnds penny production and changes rounding rules
The government would stop making pennies for everyday use (though they'd still be legal tender and made for collectors). When you pay with cash, prices would round to the nearest nickel—so a bill of $5.03 might round to $5.05, or $5.02 might round down to $5.00. The bill also lets the Treasury change what nickels are made of and gives it power to stop minting other coins if Congress approves.
How it affects you
If you pay with cash, you'd notice prices rounding up or down by a few cents instead of requiring exact change. Retailers, cashiers, and anyone handling cash transactions would need to follow the rounding rules. People who collect coins or have a strong attachment to the penny might feel nostalgic about its disappearance from circulation, though it would still exist as legal tender.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Aug 27, 2026)
Common Cents Act
This bill ends the production of the penny for general circulation, requires rounding to an amount divisible by five for the payment or transfer of cash, and allows the nickel to be composed of different material.
The Department of the Treasury must stop producing the penny, except to meet collector needs. The penny shall continue to be legal tender.
Any person selling goods or services in a cash transaction, entering into other transfers of cash, or paying cash wages to an employee must round the payment up or down in accordance with the bill.
The bill also allows Treasury to discontinue the minting for circulation of any coin if Treasury follows procedures as outlined by the bill, including providing notice and a briefing to Congress.
The Federal Reserve Board must periodically report on a strategic plan for the acceptance of penny orders and deposits at commercial coin terminals that provide services under agreements with Federal Reserve banks.
Finally, the bill allows for a different material composition of the nickel. In addition to being made from an alloy of copper and nickel, the nickel may also be clad with an inner core of zinc and an outer layer of nickel.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionH. R. 10167
AN ACT
Common Cents Act
Sponsor: Rep. Lisa C. McClain (R-MI-9) · Introduced Aug 27, 2026 · Finance and Financial Sector · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 28, 2026: “Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.”
In the news
Updated Oct 13, 2026Stories from the last 14 days that name this bill (“Common Cents Act” or its number), from the public news feeds of national outlets across the political spectrum. Newest first, one per outlet. We don’t choose, rank or check the coverage.
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 4 official versions.
Sections · 7
- Sec. 1Short titleNo change
- Sec. 2Specifications of 5-cent coins and ceasing production of one-cent coinsNo change
- Sec. 3Cash transaction roundingNo change
- Sec. 4Treatment of Federal, State, and Tribal law with respect to cash transaction roundingNo change
- Sec. 5Strategic plan and report on coin terminal operations and coin distribution stabilityNo change
- Sec. 6Discontinuation of circulation of coinsNo change
- Sec. 7DefinitionsNo change