House passes Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, blocks digital dollar rollout

House passes Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, blocks digital dollar rollout originally appeared on TheStreet.

The House of Representatives has officially passed the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, a sweeping bill designed to block the Federal Reserve from issuing or testing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) without explicit congressional approval. The move signals strong Republican resistance to what they view as a potential tool for state surveillance.

A CBDC is a digital form of a country’s national currency, issued and backed directly by its central bank. Unlike cryptocurrencies, CBDCs are centralized and controlled by the government.

They are designed to function like cash but in digital form — with potential for programmability, surveillance, and tighter monetary control.

The House of Representatives passed the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act by a narrow vote of 219–217, making it the third major crypto bill to clear the chamber during what’s being called Crypto Week in Washington.

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With the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act now passed, this marks the third major crypto bill cleared by the House during Crypto Week, following the CLARITY Act (defining digital assets as securities or commodities) and the GENIUS Act (establishing rules for stablecoins).

The bill, introduced by Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), prohibits the Fed from directly or indirectly issuing a CBDC to individuals. As outlined in the bill, a Federal Reserve bank “shall not offer products or services directly to an individual,” nor “maintain an account on behalf of an individual.” Additionally, the Fed is barred from creating any digital currency that is “substantially similar under any other name or label.”

Story ContinuesNotably, the act also prohibits the use of a CBDC as a monetary policy tool. It states: “The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Open Market Committee shall not use any central bank digital currency… to implement monetary policy.” This restriction reflects broader fears that a programmable digital dollar could grant the government intrusive control over individual financial activity.

The bill also offers protections for open, permissionless, and private dollar-denominated currencies, ensuring they remain outside the scope of the restrictions. It explicitly bans the Fed from running CBDC pilot programs or testing initiatives without future Congressional approval.

The legislation now moves to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain.

House passes Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, blocks digital dollar rollout first appeared on TheStreet on Jul 17, 2025

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.

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