The Senate passed bipartisan legislation backed by Senator Ted Cruz (R) that would apply federal bank-robbery penalties to robberies involving standalone ATMs, sending the measure to the House.
What would the bill change?
The Senate passed the Safe Access to Cash Act by voice vote on September 30. The legislation would amend federal law so robberies involving off-site ATMs receive the same federal penalties that apply to robberies involving ATMs located at financial institutions.
The Federal Bank Robbery Act of 1934 currently covers banks and financial institutions but does not specifically extend the same protections to standalone ATMs at locations such as malls, convenience stores, and other public areas.
Sen. Cruz's office said ATM robberies have increased since 2019 and that standalone machines can be targeted in as little as three minutes. The bill's supporters say criminals have increasingly targeted off-site ATMs because current federal law treats those robberies differently from robberies involving financial institutions.
Sen. Cruz Applauds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on ATM Robberieshttps://t.co/CY47Hgegbh pic.twitter.com/8NRl6YQvyD
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) September 30, 2026
Sen. Ted Cruz: "In Texas and across the country, criminals are increasingly targeting ATMs, putting workers, bystanders, law enforcement, and first responders in danger."
What happens next?
The legislation was introduced by Cruz and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) in February and later gained Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) as a cosponsor. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced it by voice vote in March.
The bill now goes to the House for consideration.
