New Government Checks to Be Lighter, Thinner
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WASHINGTON — A new pastel check that is lighter, thinner and harder to duplicate will be issued by the government beginning next month to millions of Americans who receive federal benefits, Treasury Secretary James A. Baker III said today.
The new paper check replaces the green punched-card checks that have been issued for Social Security and veterans benefits, tax refunds and other government payments for 40 years.
“We’re changing the check because the punched card technology is obsolete and punched cards are no longer consistent with modern banking practices,” Baker said at a news conference. “We also wanted a more secure check--one that is more difficult to alter and one that is more difficult to counterfeit.”
The new checks will save taxpayers $6 million a year because the paper is cheaper than the heavier “card stock” old checks and because their lighter weight will reduce the space needed for storage by 30%, another Treasury spokesman said.
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