Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Name	Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Formed	1862
Jurisdiction	United States Department of the Treasury
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.; Fort Worth, Texas
Parent agency	United States Department of the Treasury

Contents

Bureau of Engraving and Printing The Bureau of Engraving and Printing began as a response to fiscal pressures during the American Civil War and evolved into the primary producer of United States paper currency and other security documents. From its origins in the 19th century to modern operations, the Bureau intersects with major figures and institutions such as Abraham Lincoln, Salmon P. Chase, Ulysses S. Grant, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin and connects to agencies including the United States Department of the Treasury, Federal Reserve System, United States Secret Service, Library of Congress.

History

The agency originated amid the Civil War under authorization by Congress of the United States and oversight tied to the Treasury Department (United States), with early printing supervised by officials aligned with Salmon P. Chase and influenced by designs referencing Benjamin Franklin and engravers familiar with techniques used for Bank of England notes. Throughout the 19th century it adapted to reforms stemming from legislation like the National Banking Act and events including the Panic of 1873 and the Panic of 1893, responding to changes in currency such as greenbacks and United States Notes. In the 20th century the Bureau modernized during administrations of Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman, partnering with institutions like the Federal Reserve System and facing challenges during World War I and World War II. Postwar developments tied to economic policies from the New Deal era and statutory changes after the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 shaped production. Contemporary history includes expansion to a production facility in Fort Worth, Texas and ongoing interaction with anti-counterfeiting efforts influenced by events such as the advent of digital reproduction and responses coordinated with the United States Secret Service and agencies like the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Organizational structure reflects reporting within the United States Department of the Treasury and operational coordination with the Federal Reserve System and the United States Mint. Major facilities include the Washington, D.C. headquarters near landmarks like the National Mall and a manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas, each employing specialized divisions analogous to units in organizations such as the Government Publishing Office and the United States Postal Service. Leadership roles interact with officials confirmed by Congress and coordinate with entities such as the Office of Management and Budget, Government Accountability Office, Congressional Budget Office, and committees like the United States House Committee on Appropriations. The Bureau contracts and consults with private-sector firms and institutions including Guillermo del Toro-style artisans of engraving tradition, historical firms akin to the American Bank Note Company and collaborates on training with universities and technical schools similar to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Texas Christian University for workforce development.

Currency production uses intaglio printing, offset printing, and cutting equipment tracing lineage to techniques employed by the Bank of England and the Royal Mint for secure document manufacture. Production workflow integrates design inputs referencing portraits like those of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton, and Andrew Jackson as seen on denominations, while coordination with portrait sources parallels archival work at the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives and Records Administration. Technologies draw on contributions from institutions such as Hewlett-Packard, Xerox, Canon Inc., and research from National Institute of Standards and Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology laboratories. Facilities operate paper mills and coordinate with suppliers of security paper historically similar to those used by the Bank of France and De La Rue. Quality control and logistics interact with transportation networks exemplified by the United States Postal Service and security logistics firms with practices comparable to those of Brinks.

Security features evolved alongside responses coordinated with the United States Secret Service, reflecting historical counterfeiting crises like those prompting legislation such as the Coinage Act revisions and international agreements similar to protocols negotiated by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). Features include watermarks, security threads, color-shifting ink, microprinting, and raised intaglio—methods paralleled in documents issued by the Bank of England, European Central Bank, and counterfeit deterrence efforts of the Bank for International Settlements. Research partnerships include work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, academic research centers at MIT, Stanford University, and industry partners like 3M and DuPont for substrate and ink technologies. Enforcement and investigations tie into operations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, Department of Justice, and international law enforcement networks such as Europol.

Public outreach encompasses visitor tours at facilities with educational programming resembling offerings from the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, and the Library of Congress. Programs include exhibits on currency history intersecting with figures like Alexander Hamilton, Alexander Graham Bell, and events such as the World's Columbian Exposition for historical context. Outreach leverages partnerships with educational institutions such as George Washington University and Texas Christian University and coordinates with civic entities like the National Park Service for public information. Tours and publications have been documented in media outlets alongside coverage by organizations like The New York Times, Washington Post, and NPR.

Legal authority derives from statutes enacted by the United States Congress and administrative oversight from the United States Department of the Treasury, aligning responsibilities with the Federal Reserve Act and legislation such as the Coinage Act of 1873 and subsequent appropriations acts. Governance interacts with legal frameworks enforced by the United States Secret Service, Department of Justice, and auditing by the Government Accountability Office and Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General. International legal coordination occurs through entities like the World Customs Organization and Interpol when counterfeiting crosses borders. Policy and statutory changes are subject to review by congressional committees including the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the United States House Committee on Financial Services.