Common Cents Act Reaches Trump’s Desk After Bipartisan Passage

Key points

• The Senate approved the Common Cents Act (H.R. 10167) on September 29, 2026, via unanimous consent.
• The bill directs the Treasury Department to cease minting pennies, a process that effectively halted in November 2025.
• Legislation requires cash transactions to round to the nearest five cents when exact change is unavailable, while electronic payments remain exact.
• The measure allows the use of zinc in the inner layer of nickels to reduce production costs as pennies are phased out.
• The House passed the bill with bipartisan support on September 14, 2026.
• The bill projects approximately $56 million in annual savings for the federal government.

Background

The penny phaseout has been a subject of congressional debate for years, with production costs exceeding the coin's face value. Earlier in 2026, the Senate approved the bill, and the House followed suit in September. The legislation builds on previous efforts to address the economic inefficiency of minting pennies, which cost nearly 4 cents to produce. The move also follows a period where the Trump administration had already stopped minting pennies in late 2025, citing cost concerns.

How outlets are covering it

AP News highlights the bipartisan support for the bill and the projected savings, emphasizing the legislative process. Bloomberg Law News focuses on the immediate next step, noting that the bill now heads to President Trump for signature, and mentions the Trump administration's prior decision to stop minting pennies. Texas Border Business, a regional outlet, frames the story in terms of business adjustments, noting that businesses are already adapting to the penny phaseout. All three sources agree on the core facts of the bill's passage and its provisions, but they emphasize different aspects: AP on the legislative process, Bloomberg on the presidential signature, and Texas Border Business on the practical impact on businesses.

Why it matters

The Common Cents Act represents a significant shift in U.S. currency policy, moving away from the penny and toward a nickel-based rounding system. This change could have practical implications for cash transactions, potentially saving the government money and reducing the burden on retailers who struggle with exact change. The bill also reflects a broader trend of cost-cutting in federal operations, as the government seeks to reduce the expenses associated with minting low-value coins.

What to watch

The bill now awaits President Trump's signature. If signed, it will become law, formally ending penny production and implementing the cash rounding rules. The Treasury Department will also begin assessing the impacts of the phaseout on low-income and other affected groups, as mandated by the bill. The next step will be to monitor how businesses and consumers adapt to the new rounding rules and whether the projected savings are realized.