House Republicans introduce bipartisan bill to establish 20-year Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

May 18, 2026

Representatives Nick Begich and Jared Golden introduced the bipartisan American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 (ARMA) to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The bill mandates a strict 20-year lockup period for federal bitcoin holdings, with any future sales restricted to reducing the national debt. ARMA consolidates the government's $26 billion in seized digital assets under the Treasury, requiring quarterly audited proof-of-reserve reports and strict congressional oversight.

Strategic Bitcoin Reserve legislation

▪The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 20 lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
▪Representative Nick Begich and Representative Jared Golden introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026, or ARMA, to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

Twenty-year asset lockup period

▪After the 20-year lockup period, the Treasury secretary can recommend selling up to 10% of the reserve's assets in any two-year period, with proceeds restricted to reducing the national debt.
▪The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 requires all bitcoin deposited into the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to be locked up for a minimum of 20 years.

Bitcoin acquisition mechanisms

▪Unlike earlier proposals targeting 1 million bitcoin, the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 draft specifies no exact purchase target and focuses on budget-neutral mechanisms.
▪The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 directs the Treasury and Commerce departments to study acquisition methods including gold certificate revaluations, forfeiture proceedings, and tariff revenues.

Digital Asset Stockpile management

▪The federal government's existing digital assets, valued at roughly $26 billion, would be consolidated under the Treasury rather than scattered across multiple agencies.
▪The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 establishes a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for non-bitcoin assets held by the federal government and managed by the Treasury.

Quarterly proof-of-reserve reporting

▪The Treasury must show its work every three months, proving it holds the exact digital assets claimed, with outside auditors verifying the figures.
▪The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 mandates quarterly public proof-of-reserve reports backed by independent third-party audits.

Congressional oversight requirements

▪The legislation implements strict congressional oversight to maintain transparency regarding the federal government's digital asset holdings.
▪The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 requires federal agencies to provide a full accounting of digital assets under their control within 60 days of enactment.