{"id":2464758,"date":"2025-07-21T14:19:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T18:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fetterman-pushes-bill-to-prevent-businesses-from-going-cashless\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T14:22:48","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T18:22:48","slug":"fetterman-pushes-bill-to-prevent-businesses-from-going-cashless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fetterman-pushes-bill-to-prevent-businesses-from-going-cashless\/","title":{"rendered":"Fetterman pushes bill to prevent businesses from going cashless"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffetterman-pushes-bill-to-prevent-businesses-from-going-cashless%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2464758&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), alongside Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), has introduced the bipartisan Payment Choice Act, which aims to require physical businesses to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/los-angeles-restaurant-stops-accepting-cash-due-to-crime\/\" title=\"Los Angeles Restaurant Stops Accepting ... Due to Crime\">accept cash payments<\/a>, combating the growing trend of companies going cashless. The proposed legislation mandates acceptance of cash for transactions up to $500 adn prohibits surcharges on cash payments under $50. this bill addresses concerns that a cashless society harms millions of Americans who lack bank accounts and depend on cash for everyday purchases. While businesses currently are not federally required to accept cash, some states and cities have passed laws mandating cash acceptance in certain situations. The Payment Choice Act also sets fines up to $1,500 for businesses that fail to comply. Lawmakers emphasize that consumers should retain the choice to pay with cash or card, supporting financial inclusivity amid the rise of digital and contactless payments.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Fetterman pushes bipartisan bill to prevent businesses from going cashless<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2144947\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Sen.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-fetterman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> John Fetterman <\/a>(D-PA) engaged in a bipartisan push to prohibit companies from eliminating<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/money\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> cash<\/a> payments, arguing that a cashless society harms &ldquo;millions&rdquo; who do not have bank accounts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Fetterman joined Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in introducing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fetterman.senate.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Payment-Choice-Act-2025.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Payment Choice Act<\/a>, which seeks to require brick-and-mortar businesses to accept cash up to $500 per transaction. The legislation would require in-person companies to take cash payments for bills under $50 and prohibit businesses from surcharging those payments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3477295\/russia-ukraine-capability-launch-2000-drones-simultaneously\/\">Russia aims for capability to launch 2,000 drones simultaneously<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3477107\/trump-officials-sanctuary-city-cbp-officer-shot-nyc\/\">Trump officials blast sanctuary city mayors after off-duty CBP officer shooting in NYC<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3477073\/latest-pete-hegseth-pentagon-aide-leaves-revolving-door\/\">Latest Hegseth aide to leave Pentagon continues revolving door<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s simple: if you&rsquo;re open for business in America, you should take U.S. dollars,&rdquo; Fetterman said in a statement. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud to introduce the bipartisan Payment Choice Act with Senator Cramer because every American should be able to use paper currency if they choose. We have millions of people in this country who don&rsquo;t have access to bank accounts, and they must be able to go shopping with their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/government-unions-have-been-stealing-money-for-years-now-scotus-has-the-chance-to-intervene\/\" title=\"Government Unions Have Been Stealing Money For Years \u2014 Now, SCOTUS Has The Chance To Intervene\">hard-earned dollars<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The bill temporarily allows businesses to reject large bills, permitting them to turn away $50 or $100 bills for five years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Companies that fail to comply with Fetterman&rsquo;s legislation could be fined up to $1,500.<\/p>\n<p>The Payment Choice Act seeks to rebuff a growing trend of businesses incentivizing cashless practices by declining to accept forms of payment other than card or digital.&nbsp;Contactless payments surged during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and businesses stuck with it in the years since in efforts to cut costs, simplify transactions, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/washington-dc\/2023\/12\/05\/restaurants-budget-security-crime\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">prevent crime<\/a>. Americans going cashless have increased by double digits in less than a decade, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2022\/10\/05\/more-americans-are-joining-the-cashless-economy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">according <\/a>to 2022 data from Pew Research, which found 41% said they paid for none of their purchases with cash.<\/p>\n<p>Businesses are allowed to regulate their policies on cash, which the Federal Reserve considers &ldquo;legal tender,&rdquo; because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdogs-warn-ohios-gold-standard-voter-rolls-tarnished\/\" title=\"Watchdogs Warn Ohio&#039;s &#039;Gold Standard&#039; Voter Rolls Tarnished\">federal law doesn&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t mandate that private businesses, individuals, or organizations accept bills or coins for payment.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law that says otherwise,&rdquo; the Federal Reserve website says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Washington, D.C., along with states such as Oregon, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, are among the areas across the country that have enacted legislation requiring businesses to accept cash payments in at least some circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>Fetterman and Cramer argue that federal incentives are needed to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >preserve inclusive payment options<\/a> for the unbanked and underbanked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) arrives at the chamber as senators gather for a group photo, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3456351\/pennsylvania-progressives-turn-back-to-conor-lamb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">PENNYSYLVANIA PROGRESSIVES TURN BACK TO FORMER FETTERMAN FOE AS CONGRESSMAN SPURNS PARTY LINE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As of a 2023 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation analysis, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fdic.gov\/household-survey\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">4.5%<\/a> of households do not have bank accounts or credit cards. The lawmakers have touted federal data showing that the demographic still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frbsf.org\/research-and-insights\/publications\/fed-notes\/2021\/05\/2021-findings-from-the-diary-of-consumer-payment-choice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">represents<\/a> nearly 20% of all payments in the U.S. economy.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Cash is still legal tender in the United States, despite some businesses&rsquo; exclusive acceptance of electronic payments,&rdquo; Cramer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fetterman.senate.gov\/fetterman-cramer-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-preserve-payment-choice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">said<\/a>. &ldquo;Forcing the use of credit and debit cards or imposing premium prices on goods and services paid for with cash limits consumer choice. Americans should have the option of using cards or cash, but they should be the ones who make that choice.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2144947\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2144947\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fetterman backs bipartisan bill to stop businesses going cashless<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2464759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/john-fetterman-july-2025.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[59580,7921,4762],"class_list":["post-2464758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-cashless-businesses","tag-fetterman","tag-legislation"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/john-fetterman-july-2025.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2464758"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2464762,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464758\/revisions\/2464762"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2464759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2464758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2464758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2464758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}