Congress passes bill ending penny production

The Senate passed the bipartisan Common Cents Act, sending it to President Donald Trump to formally end production of pennies for general circulation after the U.S. Mint halted minting in 2025. The measure would align federal law with that decision, which was driven by declining use and production costs of nearly four cents per penny; the Mint estimates ending production will save about $56 million annually. As pennies become less available, businesses could round cash transaction totals to the nearest nickel under the bill’s rules, while electronic and other noncash payments would remain exact. Existing pennies would remain legal tender, and the bill does not require businesses to round transactions.