The US Senate passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on Monday. It approves sweeping housing reforms that also bar the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency through 2030.
H.R. 6644 cleared the chamber in an 85-5 vote, sending the bill to the House floor. A final House sign-off would move the legislation to President Trump’s desk for signature.
What the CBDC Provision Does
Title XI, Section 1101, prohibits the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or a Federal Reserve Bank from issuing or creating a CBDC. The ban also covers any digital asset substantially similar to one, whether issued directly or through an intermediary.
The bill text defines a CBDC as a dollar-denominated asset that is a direct Federal Reserve liability and widely available to the public.
The restriction runs through December 31, 2030. However, it carves out open, permissionless, and private dollar assets, a provision that shields stablecoins.
“Exception.—Subsection (b) shall not prohibit any dollar-denominated currency that is open, permissionless, and private, and fully preserves the privacy protections of United States coins and physical currency,” the bill reads.
The latest vote also codifies a stance the White House set earlier. President Donald Trump’s January 2025 order on digital financial technology already barred any effort to establish, issue, or circulate a CBDC across the US jurisdiction.
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Why a Housing Bill Carries a CBDC Ban
The legislation pairs housing affordability measures with a crypto policy rarely tied to real estate. House Republicans pushed to attach a restriction on CBDC to the widely backed bill.
Beyond the crypto language, the act blocks large institutional investors from buying single-family homes. In a statement following the passage, House Financial Services Chairman French Hill said the package targets housing supply and household costs.
“Housing affordability starts with supply, and this bill makes meaningful progress toward building more homes and lowering costs for American families,” he stated.
Republican leaders plan to fast-track a vote when the chamber reconvenes from recess on June 23, according to Politico.
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