Republican Senators Target CBDC in 2024 Election Agenda

Texas Senator Ted Cruz and a group of Republican senators are pushing forward with efforts to limit the Federal Reserve’s capability to issue a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). They are preparing to introduce the Central Bank Digital Currency Anti-Surveillance State Act, aiming to bring the topic of CBDCs into the forefront of the 2024 presidential election discussions.

This initiative, reported by FOX Business, sees Cruz teaming up with Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), marking a concerted effort within the party to place digital currency policy under the national spotlight.

The proposed bill demands that the Federal Reserve cannot release a CBDC to the public without explicit permission from Congress, highlighting worries over privacy and the control over personal financial transactions.

Some conservative voices express concern that a CBDC could enable the federal government to observe and potentially influence Americans’ spending habits.

On the other hand, the Biden administration has given the green light for the Fed to investigate the benefits a CBDC could offer in making payments more efficient and accessible. Yet, there’s been no move towards its actual deployment.