The U.S. Senate passes the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by an 85–5 vote, and the measure now moves to the House and then to President Donald Trump for signature. Multiple outlets report that the bill includes a provision blocking the Federal Reserve from issuing or creating a central bank digital currency (CBDC) through December 31, 2030. The restriction also covers a Fed-issued “digital asset” that is substantially similar to a CBDC, and applies whether the Fed acts directly or through intermediaries.
Sources also agree the bill includes a carveout for private stablecoins. The carveout protects “open, permissionless, and private” dollar-denominated assets, which would allow certain non-government digital dollars to continue operating while the Fed CBDC prohibition remains in place.
House and Senate leaders reportedly reach agreement on an updated version of the housing bill after initially different House and Senate versions, with House Republican leaders planning to vote soon after members return from recess. The measure is described as a way to address housing affordability while also advancing a long-sought congressional policy against a government digital dollar. Trump signed an executive order in January 2025 directing federal agencies not to work on CBDCs.