[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10895-10896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6446]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

31 CFR Part 601

[T.D. BEP-41]


Distinctive Paper for United States Currency and Other Securities

AGENCY: Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), Treasury.

ACTION: Treasury decision, final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is amending the 
provisions of Distinctive Paper for United States Currency and Other 
Securities regulations, to reflect the adoption of a new distinctive 
paper adopted for use by the Secretary of the Treasury to deter 
counterfeiting.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 18, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rodolfo Roberts, Office of Management Services, Bureau of Engraving and 
Printing, Room 321-9A, 14th and C Streets, SW., Washington, DC 20228, 
(202) 874-3551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 80 Stat. 379, 106 Stat. 4070, 96 Stat. 880; 
(5 U.S.C. 301, 18 U.S.C. 474A and 31 U.S.C. 321, respectively); give 
the Secretary of the Treasury the authority of law to adopt a new 
distinctive paper for use in printing United States currency and other 
interest-bearing securities of the United States.
    The changes:
    (1) Amend section 601.1 to reflect the existence of three kinds 
(threaded, non-threaded and threaded/watermark-bearing) of distinctive 
papers for printing United States currency and interest-bearing 
securities of the United States.
    (2) Amend section 601.2 to reflect a description of the new 
watermark-bearing distinctive paper.
    (3) Amend section 601.3 to indicate that the distinctive paper 
currently in use will continue to be used.
    (4) Amend section 601.4 to provide that any of the three 
distinctive papers may be used for printing interest-bearing securities 
of the United States.
    (5) Section 601.5 remains the same.

Executive Order 12866

    Because this rule relates to agency organization and management, it 
is not subject to E.O. 12866 pursuant to section 3(d)(3) thereof.

Administrative Procedures Act

    Because this Treasury decision relates to agency management and is 
procedural in nature, notice and public procedure and a delayed 
effective date are inapplicable pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2).

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Because no notice of proposed rulemaking is required for this final 
rule, the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act do not apply.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. 96-
511, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 
1320, do not apply to this rule because no requirement to collect 
information is contemplated.

    Drafting Information: The principal author of this document is 
Rodolfo Roberts, Office of Management Services, Bureau of Engraving 
and Printing.

List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 601

    Currency, Securities, Printing.

Authority and Issuance

    31 CFR part 601 is revised to read as follows:

PART 601--DISTINCTIVE PAPER FOR UNITED STATES CURRENCY AND OTHER 
SECURITIES

Sec.
601.1  Notice to the public.
601.2  Description of paper.
601.3  Use of paper.
601.4  Use of paper; interest-bearing securities of the United 
States.
601.5  Penalty for unauthorized control or possession.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 12 U.S.C. 418; 18 U.S.C. 474A.


Sec. 601.1  Notice to the Public.

    The Secretary of the Treasury, by authority of law, has adopted a 
new distinctive paper for use in printing United States currency in 
addition to the existing distinctive papers for use in printing United 
States currency and other securities.


Sec. 601.2  Description of paper.

    The paper utilized in the printing of United States currency and 
public debt issues is cream-white bank note paper which must contain 
security features prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. All 
currency paper shall contain distinctive fibers, colored red and blue, 
incorporated in the body of the paper while in the process of 
manufacture and evenly distributed throughout. In addition to 
distinctive red and blue fibers, currency paper shall contain, for 
denominations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, security 
threads embedded beneath the surface of the paper during the 
manufacturing process. Security threads shall contain graphics 
consisting of the designation ``USA'' and the denomination of the 
currency, expressed in alphabetic or numeric characters. In addition to 
the security thread, for the denominations prescribed by the Secretary 
of the Treasury, the paper will bear a watermark identical to the 
portrait to be printed on the paper.


Sec. 601.3  Use of paper.

    The new distinctive paper shall be used for printing Federal 
Reserve Notes of the denominations prescribed by the

[[Page 10896]]
Secretary of the Treasury. The use of the existing distinctive papers, 
the distinctive features of which consist of distinctive fibers, 
colored red and blue, incorporated in the body of the paper while in 
the process of manufacture and evenly distributed throughout, and the 
security thread containing graphics consisting of the designation 
``USA'' and the denomination of the currency, will be continued for 
printing of any currency denomination prescribed by the Secretary of 
the Treasury.


Sec. 601.4  Use of paper; interest-bearing securities of the United 
States.

    The existing distinctive papers shall be used for the printing of 
interest-bearing securities of the United States, and for any other 
printing where the use of distinctive paper is indicated.


Sec. 601.5  Penalty for unauthorized control or possession.

    The Secretary of the Treasury hereby gives notice that the new 
distinctive paper, together with any other distinctive papers 
heretofore adopted for the printing of paper currency or other 
obligations or securities of the United States, is and will be subject 
to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 474A which provides, in part, that it is 
against the law to possess any paper, or facsimile thereof, designated 
by the Secretary of the Treasury for the printing of U.S. currency or 
any other security of the United States, except with the permission of 
the Secretary or the authorized official. This crime is punishable by a 
fine not to exceed five thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more 
than fifteen years, or both.

Larry E. Rolufs,
Director.

    Approved:
George Munoz,
Assistant Secretary for Management & CFO.
[FR Doc. 96-6446 Filed 3-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4840-01-M