Background
This policy change is the result of a four-year effort to put an option to purchase U. S. Savings Bonds back on the tax form.
Many dedicated individuals and organizations including grassroots agencies, policy thinkers, legislators, businesses, and senior officials at the U. S. Treasury Department, played a role in bringing about this change. In particular, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites in nineteen states promoted the purchase of bonds worth $615,000 for 5,000 people in a multi-year pilot to discover whether Americans, particularly low and middle income taxpayers receiving a tax refund, would invest some of their refund in savings if it was convenient, easy and risk-free.
Read about the three-year pilot program: Yes We Can: Inclusive Saving at Tax Time