Congressman Tom Emmer has introduced a bill in the United States seeking to prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The bill, titled ‘CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act,’ aims to uphold American values of privacy, individual sovereignty, and free market competitiveness. If passed, the bill would bar the Fed from issuing the digital dollar to anyone, as well as using a CBDC to implement monetary policy and control the economy. The bill also requires the Fed to be transparent to Congress and provide quarterly briefings on any CBDC pilot projects. The Congressman believes that the bill will help maintain America’s position as a leader in the technology space. However, it could dampen hopes of the U.S. rolling out a CBDC, which has dominated the debate on crypto regulations. The Fed has not yet made clear its plans regarding a CBDC, but it is viewed as an ideal move to counter the growth of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
