House Committee Advances ARMA Bill to Consolidate Federal Bitcoin Holdings

The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 (ARMA) has advanced to committee markup, bringing Bitcoin one step closer to becoming a permanent fixture on the federal balance sheet. The bill, introduced by Rep. Nick Begich and co-led by Rep. Jared Golden, consolidates all federally held Bitcoin into a single centralized treasury account.

One of ARMA's key provisions is a 20-year holding period for all Bitcoin in the reserve, prohibiting the government from selling or trading these holdings for two decades. The bill also requires quarterly public Proof-of-Reserve audits to ensure transparency and mandates cryptographic attestations alongside third-party audits.

The legislation prohibits funding the reserve through new taxes, government borrowing, or deficit spending, instead relying on assets already lawfully seized by federal authorities. ARMA establishes a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for non-Bitcoin digital assets held by the federal government, reinforcing the rights of private digital asset ownership.