US House Committee to Review Bill Proposing 20-Year Bitcoin Strategic Reserve

The US House of Representatives is set to examine a bill that would require the federal government to hold Bitcoin (BTC) as a strategic asset for a minimum of 20 years. The legislation, formally titled the 'American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026' (H.R. 8957), will be reviewed during a full committee meeting on June 16.

Introduced by Republican Representative Nick Baggish on May 21, the bill proposes establishing a 'Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' managed by the Treasury Department to hold government-held BTC that is not legally restricted for other uses. It also calls for a separate 'Digital Asset Stockpile' for non-BTC digital assets. The current revised version of the bill maintains this structure but adds a 20-year holding period for BTC in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, during which selling, exchanging, auctioning, or pledging is prohibited.

Under the proposed amendment, the Treasury Secretary must submit recommendations to Congress two years before the end of the 20-year period regarding whether to continue holding or gradually sell portions of the reserve. After the holding period ends, up to 10% of the reserve assets may be sold over a two-year window.

The bill also requires federal agencies to report their holdings of Bitcoin and other digital assets within 60 days of implementation, with transfers to the respective reserves occurring within 30 days. An annual 'Proof of Reserve' verification process will be implemented, including public reporting on total BTC holdings, transaction history, and private key control, verified by independent third parties.

Additionally, the Treasury and Commerce Departments are tasked with researching budget-neutral methods for acquiring more Bitcoin within 180 days of implementation. Options include purchasing via non-increasing national debt or tax burden, or acquiring through criminal civil forfeitures, fines, or settlements.