House Passes Common-Sense Bill to End Wasteful Penny Production, Saving Taxpayer Dollars
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The House approved the Common Cents Act, finally halting the unnecessary minting of the one-cent coin and requiring cash transactions to be rounded, a move that will save the Treasury $56 million annually and reduce government waste.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass the bipartisan Common Cents Act, a long-overdue step to end the minting of new one-cent coins except for collector items and to establish a practical system for rounding cash transactions to the nearest five cents. The legislation sensibly includes an exception for cash wages, which will be rounded up when not divisible by five cents, while existing pennies will remain legal tender for those who still wish to use them.
According to the Treasury, this measure will save the government about $56 million every year, as the cost of producing pennies has skyrocketed to more than three times their actual value. This bill is a victory for fiscal responsibility, also permitting the Mint to manufacture nickels using more cost-effective materials, further reducing unnecessary government spending.
The act, sponsored by House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain and Democrat Robert Garcia, ensures that the Treasury will monitor the effects of the rounding rules on low-income households, seniors, and other vulnerable groups—demonstrating a balanced approach that protects those in need while eliminating waste. If signed into law, the legislation will prevent future administrations from reversing this common-sense decision, cementing a much-needed reform after the Mint had already ceased regular penny production in November 2025, ending more than two centuries of outdated coinage.