Texas Representative Keith Self proposes to attach a ban on the ‘Anti-CBDC Surveillance State’ to the 2026 defense bill, challenging Trump’s order and seeking GOP consensus on digital currency policy.
Summary
- Rep. Keith Self introduced an NDAA amendment to prevent the Federal Reserve from testing, piloting, or issuing any U.S. CBDC, labeling it an ‘Anti-CBDC Surveillance State’ initiative.
- This initiative follows Trump’s 2025 executive order that halted CBDC development, as Republicans pursue a statutory ban that future administrations cannot easily overturn.
- House conservatives express concerns over surveillance similar to China’s and indicate that backing for the $900 billion defense bill might wane if the CBDC ban is not allowed a floor vote.
Representative Keith Self, a Republican from Texas, has proposed an amendment to the $900 billion U.S. Defense Bill, aiming to prevent the Federal Reserve from developing or testing a central bank digital currency (CBDC), according to remarks on December 9, 2025.
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The amendment, termed by Self as an “Anti-CBDC Surveillance State” measure, would prohibit the Federal Reserve from evaluating, developing, or launching any type of CBDC. Self asserted that promises to incorporate similar language in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) were not fulfilled in the final compromise text.
“Promises were not kept regarding the inclusion of this language in the NDAA. My amendment aims to correct the bill,” Self stated. He noted that the House Rules Committee was set to convene to decide whether the amendment would receive a floor vote.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump labeled CBDCs as a “significant threat to freedom” and vowed to obstruct the establishment of a Federal Reserve-operated digital dollar. In 2025, Trump officially signed an executive order prohibiting federal agencies from developing or promoting a U.S. CBDC.
Republican lawmakers have aimed to create a permanent legislative ban on CBDCs via amendments to the NDAA, emphasizing that executive orders can be reversed by future administrations. Self indicated that conservative legislators had received commitments that anti-CBDC language would be incorporated into the defense authorization bill.
Opponents within the Republican Party contend that such a system would offer the federal government enhanced surveillance capabilities, drawing parallels to digital payment systems in China. Concerns include potential government surveillance of transactions and the risk of blocking payments based on political or social factors.
Some Republican lawmakers have suggested they might retract their support for the defense bill if the amendment does not get a floor vote, according to reports.
The House of Representatives passed two connected pieces of legislation in July 2025: the CLARITY Act and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. Neither has been enacted as law. The Anti-CBDC bill aims to permanently ban any form of U.S. central bank digital currency, while the CLARITY Act deals with regulatory jurisdiction between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission concerning cryptocurrency markets. The CLARITY Act also includes provisions for consumer protections and suggests regulatory frameworks for decentralized finance and stablecoins.
