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HR 3694 112th Congress House

STEEL Nickel Act

Official title: To amend title 31, United States Code, to save the American taxpayers money by immediately altering the metallic composition of the 5-cent coin, to require a p… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend title 31, United States Code, to save the American taxpayers money by immediately altering the metallic composition of the 5-cent coin, to require a prompt review and report, with recommendations, for cost-saving changes in the metallic content of other circulating United States coins, and for other purposes.

Introduced: December 15, 2011 See on congress.gov
Finance and Financial Sector Buy American requirementsCongressional oversightCurrencyMetalsPublic contracts and procurement
This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 29, 2012
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Apr 17, 2012
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Jan 12, 2012
Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology.
Dec 15, 2011
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Dec 15, 2011
Introduced in House
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 Latest action November 29, 2012

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Saving Taxpayer Expenditures by Employing Less Imported Nickel Act or STEEL Nickel Act - Amends federal law governing the production of coins to repeal the statutory alloy composition of the 5-cent coin.

Requires that the 5-cent coin be: (1) produced primarily of steel, and (2) treated to impart a color so that its appearance is similar to 5-cent coins produced before enactment of this Act.

Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury, in minting 5-cent coins, to use only steel produced in the United States unless: (1) the Secretary determines doing so would be inconsistent with the public interest, or (2) steel is not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities.

Prohibits the Secretary, in setting specifications for such coin, from: (1) requiring more than one change to coin-accepting and coin-handling equipment to accommodate coins produced pursuant to this Act; (2) facilitating or allowing the use of a coin with a lesser value produced by another country, or the use of any token or other easily or regularly produced metal device of minimal value, in the place of a circulating coin produced by the Secretary; or (3) requiring changes to coin-accepting or coin-handling equipment to accommodate both coins produced with the new specifications and coins produced on or before a specified date.

Directs the Secretary to submit to certain congressional committees the initial report concerning production costs and technologies required by the Coin Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act of 2010.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3694: STEEL Nickel Act. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-3694/
MLA
"H.R. 3694: STEEL Nickel Act." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-3694/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3694, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-3694/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3694: STEEL Nickel Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-3694/)
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