Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress Senate Bill SB1578

Introduced
5/11/23  

Caption

ACES Act Accountability for Cryptocurrency in El Salvador Act

Impact

The bill's provisions will primarily influence how the U.S. interacts with El Salvador, especially in terms of financial oversight and support for stability within the country, considering its recent adoption of Bitcoin. By requiring detailed assessments of the impacts of cryptocurrency on individual and business life in El Salvador, the bill aims to provide Congress with critical data that could influence future legislative responses and international relations related to digital currencies. Essentially, this legislation seeks to better understand and, potentially, mitigate any negative effects stemming from this unique economic experiment.

Summary

SB1578, known as the Accountability for Cryptocurrency in El Salvador Act (ACES Act), mandates that the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury submit a report to Congress regarding El Salvador's use of cryptocurrency, specifically Bitcoin, as legal tender. The report should be provided within 120 days of the bill's enactment and must address various aspects, including the processes behind the adoption of Bitcoin, gaps in the Anti-Money Laundering framework, and the impacts on the economy, individual rights, and governance in El Salvador. This legislative initiative responds to the ongoing discourse regarding the broader implications of cryptocurrency on national economies.

Contention

There are notable concerns within the discussions surrounding SB1578 about the implications of cryptocurrency as legal tender. One major point of contention is the potential for increased financial risks related to money laundering and terrorism financing, particularly given the international scrutiny of El Salvador's regulatory framework. Moreover, the report will assess whether promoting Bitcoin as legal tender might undermine the stability of the U.S. dollar in El Salvador, which raises questions about economic sovereignty. These discussions underscore varying views on the future of cryptocurrency regulation and its role in global finance.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

US HB5050

Cryptocurrency Accountability Act

US HR19

Acknowledging the role of the United States in El Salvador's civil war and urging increased United States support for strengthening civil society, human rights protections, and for humanitarian and development assistance for El Salvador.

US HR368

Requesting information on El Salvador's human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

US SR195

A resolution requesting information on El Salvador's human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

US SB3312

Artificial Intelligence Research, Innovation, and Accountability Act of 2024

US HCR39

Expressing the sense of Congress to support the case of Beatriz, a young woman from a rural area of El Salvador, living in extreme poverty and with lupus, who fought for her life against the state to allow her to terminate a pregnancy that put her at risk, which exposed the serious consequences of the absolute criminalization of abortion in El Salvador, and urging the Salvadoran state to assume its international obligations in the field of human rights.

US SB3476

American Investment Accountability Act

US SB4082

Ensure Accountability in De Minimis Act of 2024

US HB3556

Increasing Financial Regulatory Accountability and Transparency Act

US SB1870

Prohibiting Foreign Adversary Interference in Cryptocurrency Markets Act

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