Congress sends housing bill with CBDC ban to Trump

Congress sent the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to President Donald Trump after the House approved the bill 358-32 on Tuesday. The Senate cleared the measure a day earlier with broad support. The legislation combines measures to boost housing supply with a temporary statutory ban on a Federal Reserve-issued central bank digital currency, or CBDC, through Dec. 31, 2030.

The housing provisions aim to increase the supply of homes and curb rising rents by addressing investor activity and limiting practices that supporters say concentrate single-family rentals in the hands of large corporate landlords. Sponsors included changes intended to encourage construction of more housing and to expand access to affordable single-family homes.

On the digital currency issue, the bill prevents the Federal Reserve from issuing or operating a CBDC and bars creation of a digital asset “substantially similar” to a CBDC until the end of 2030. Backers of the restriction say it preserves current monetary arrangements and privacy while lawmakers consider future rules for digital assets.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott called the package a win for families, saying the act will help more Americans “put down roots, build a better future, and find not just a house, but a home,” and he expressed anticipation that the president would sign it into law. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described CBDCs as “off the table” and the administration has indicated it will press for a separate bill focused on digital-assets regulation known as the Clarity Act.

Lawmakers moved quickly after key senators and House members released an updated version of the legislation that resolved months of delay and cleared the path for final votes. With both chambers approving the bill, it now awaits the president’s signature to become law.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act ties federal housing policy changes to a temporary federal position on central bank digital currency development, setting statutory limits on the Fed’s ability to issue a CBDC while directing policy changes aimed at housing affordability.