119:hr:5616 — $2.50 for America’s 250th Act

Sponsor

Introduced by

Robert B. Aderholt

R Republican · House · AL-04 R+33

Chair · Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (sub)

Latest action

Received in the Senate.

Action timeline

Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.

Feb 12, 2026

passed UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST - Mr. Grothman asked unanimous consent that the Clerk be directed to make the changes in the engrossment of H.R. 5616 that have been placed at the desk. Agreed to without objection.

Feb 12, 2026

introduced Received in the Senate.

Feb 09, 2026

floor Mr. Hill (AR) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

Feb 09, 2026

floor Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2048-2050)

Feb 09, 2026

floor DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5616.

Text versions

Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.

Feb 09, 2026 Engrossed in House

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Sep 30, 2025 Introduced in House

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CRS summaries

Plain-English summaries written by the Congressional Research Service — neutral, nonpartisan staff who summarize bills as they advance through stages. The authoritative description of what each version of the bill does.

00 Introduced in House Sep 30, 2025

$2.50 for America’s 250th Act This bill requires the minting of $2.50 coins to commemorate the 250th anniversary, or the semiquincentennial, of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Specifically, the Department of the Treasury must mint and issue a $2.50 circulating coin upon determining that such minting is technically feasible, economically feasible, and not cost prohibitive. The design of such a coin during the first five years of its issuance must be as described by the bill, however, subsequent designs may be selected by Treasury to celebrate the founding of the United States. Treasury may also mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins (i.e., collectible coins) in silver, clad, and other alloys, including gold.

via Congressional Research Service · published through congress.gov

Changelog

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How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.

`ih` / `is` — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.

`rfh` / `rfs` — Referred to a committee for review.

`rh` / `rs` — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).

`pcs` / `pch` — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.

`eh` / `es` — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.

`rdh` / `rds` — Received by the other chamber.

`eah` / `eas` — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.

`ath` / `ats` — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.

`enr` — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.

`pl` — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.

`pp` — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.

Most bills die before `eh`/`es`. Going from `pcs` → `enr` is the full path through both chambers.

Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.

+86 −83 35 unchanged

--- Introduced (House)

+++ Engrossed (House)

@@ -1,33 +1,19 @@

[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

-[H.R. 5616 Introduced in House (IH)]

+[H.R. 5616 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS

-1st Session

+2d Session

H. R. 5616

-

-To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the

-Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins and $2.50 circulating

-coins, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

-IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

-

-September 30, 2025

-

-Mr. Aderholt (for himself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Salazar, and Mr.

-Evans of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was

-referred to the Committee on Financial Services

-

-_______________________________________________________________________

-

-A BILL

+AN ACT

To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the

-Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins and $2.50 circulating

-coins, and for other purposes.

+Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins, and for other

+purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled,

@@ -44,8 +30,7 @@

United States and the world that warrants national recognition.

(2) The 68th Congress celebrated this fact by authorizing

the United States Mint to commemorate the 150th anniversary of

-American independence by issuing 2 coins: a half dollar and a

-$2.50 gold piece.

+American independence by issuing $2.50 coins.

(3) The issuance of a $2.50 anniversary coin for the 250th

anniversary serves as a historically grounded continuation of

this numismatic tradition and connects Americans today with a

@@ -64,62 +49,25 @@

also as a unifying and educational gesture on the occasion of

the semiquincentennial.

-SEC. 3. CIRCULATING $2.50 COINS.

+SEC. 3. MINTING AND ISSUING OF $2.50 NUMISMATIC COINS.

(a) In General.--Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is

amended by adding at the end the following:

-``(bb) Circulating $2.50 Coin.--

-``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall mint and issue a

-$2.50 circulating coin upon determining that minting such coin

-is technically feasible, economically feasible, and not cost

-prohibitive.

-``(2) Requirements.--Each coin minted and issued under this

-subsection shall--

-``(A) have features that make the denomination of

-the coin readily discernible from other coins; and

-``(B) be made of an alloy prescribed by the

-Secretary.

-``(3) Design.--

-``(A) Obverse.--The obverse of each coin minted and

-issued under this subsection shall, during the 5-year

-period beginning on the date the Secretary issues any

-coin under this subsection, bear the image of

-allegorical liberty wielding the Declaration of

-Independence featured on the gold $2.50

-Sesquicentennial Coin issued in 1926.

-``(B) Reverse.--The reverse of each coin minted and

-issued under this subsection shall, during the 5-year

-period beginning on the date the Secretary issues any

-coin under this subsection, bear the image Independence

-Hall featured on the gold $2.50 Sesquicentennial Coin

-issued in 1926.

-``(C) Additional inscriptions.--During the 5-year

-period beginning on the date the Secretary issues any

-coin under this subsection, each coin minted and issued

-under this subsection shall bear the inscriptions

-`Semiquincentennial of the United States' and `1776-

-2026'.

-``(D) Subsequent designs.--Beginning on the date

-that is 5 years after the Secretary issues a coin under

-this subsection, and every 5 years thereafter, the

-Secretary may select a new design that celebrates the

-founding of the United States for the $2.50 coin.''.

-(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that the

-circulating coin described in section 5112(b)(b) of title 31, United

-States Code, should be minted and issued not later than July 4, 2026,

-or as soon as it is technically and economically feasible.

-

-SEC. 4. NUMISMATIC $2.50 COINS.

-

-(a) In General.--Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is

-further amended by adding at the end the following:

-``(cc) Numismatic $2.50 Coin.--

-``(1) In general.--The Secretary may mint and issue $2.50

-numismatic coins in silver, clad, and such other alloys,

-including gold, as the Secretary determines in accordance with

-such program procedures and coin specifications, varieties,

-quantities, and inscriptions as the Secretary, in the

-Secretary's discretion, may prescribe from time to time.

+``(bb) Numismatic $2.50 Coin.--

+``(1) In general.--The Secretary may mint and issue--

+``(A) not more than 100,000 $2.50 numismatic coins,

+each of which shall weigh 4.1795 grams, have a diameter

+of 0.425 inches, and contain not less than 90 percent

+gold;

+``(B) not more than 300,000 $2.50 numismatic coins,

+each of which shall weigh 26.73 grams, have a diameter

+of 1.5 inches, and contain not less than 90 percent

+silver; and

+``(C) not more than 750,000 $2.50 numismatic coins,

+each of which shall weigh 11.34 grams, have a diameter

+of 1.205 inches, and be minted to the specifications

+for half-dollar coins contained in section 5112(b) of

+title 31, United States Code.

``(2) Design.--

``(A) Obverse.--The obverse design of any coin

minted and issued under this subsection shall, during

@@ -139,15 +87,70 @@

coin under this subsection, each coin minted and issued

under this subsection shall bear the inscriptions

`Semiquincentennial of the United States' and `1776-

-2026'.

-``(D) Subsequent designs.--Beginning on the date

-that is 2 years after the date on which the Secretary

-issues any coin under this subsection, and every 2

-years thereafter, the Secretary may select a new design

-that celebrates the founding of the United States for

-the $2.50 coin.''.

+2026'.''.

(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that the

-numismatic coins described in section 5112(c)(c) of title 31, United

+numismatic coins described in section 5112(bb) of title 31, United

States Code, should be minted and issued not later than July 4, 2026,

or as soon as it is technically and economically feasible.

-<all>

+

+SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT.

+

+(a) Study.--The Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the

+Director of the United States Mint shall conduct a comprehensive study

+to evaluate the feasibility, practicality, and potential public

+benefits of minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation in

+the United States.

+(b) Report.--The Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the

+Director of the United States Mint shall, not later than September 15,

+2026, submit a report to the Committee on Financial Services of the

+House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and

+Urban Affairs of the Senate about the study carried out under

+subsection (a) that includes--

+(1) an analysis of the historical use of the $2.50

+denomination;

+(2) projected production costs associated with minting and

+issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation;

+(3) the cost-effectiveness of minting and issuing a $2.50

+coin for wide circulation when compared to the costs associated

+with minting and issuing other coins;

+(4) an evaluation of potential benefits to commerce, coin

+handling, and transaction efficiency that would be associated

+with the minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation;

+(5) proposed physical characteristics of a $2.50 coin,

+including--

+(A) composition;

+(B) weight;

+(C) diameter; and

+(D) design features to distinguish the $2.50 coin

+from existing coins;

+(6) a description of the ways in which the Secretary

+consulted with stakeholders, including commercial banks, cash-

+handling businesses, consumer groups, and vending and transit

+industries;

+(7) an analysis that estimates the potential seigniorage

+associated with a widely circulated $2.50 coin; and

+(8) a plan that could be followed to mint and issue a $2.50

+coin that includes--

+(A) coordination with the Federal Reserve System

+and financial institutions;

+(B) a test production phase; and

+(C) an initial phased circulation.

+

+Passed the House of Representatives February 9, 2026.

+

+Attest:

+

+Clerk.

+119th CONGRESS

+

+2d Session

+

+H. R. 5616

+

+_______________________________________________________________________

+

+AN ACT

+

+To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the

+Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins, and for other

+purposes.

Cosponsors (60)

Members who signed on to support this bill.