House Votes on Historic ARMA Bill to Overhaul US Crypto Reserves
The American Reserve Modernization Act (ARMA) of 2026 is set to undergo a historic vote in the House Financial Services Committee on September 16. Introduced by Reps. Nick Begich and Jared Golden, this bipartisan bill aims to transform the government's approach to digital assets.
Key provisions include a 20-year lockup period during which the government cannot trade or sell Bitcoin, except for retiring outstanding federal debt. Additionally, all seized or penalty-based cryptocurrencies will be transferred to the national reserve instead of being auctioned off.
The legislation also introduces a 'Digital Asset Stockpile' where altcoins are stored and can be sold or traded for Bitcoin or used to pay off national debt. Budget neutrality is ensured as the Treasury and Commerce Departments work together to acquire 1 million BTC within five years, using surplus dollars or Federal Reserve earnings.
The bill mandates decentralized storage facilities across the country with quarterly audits by third-party contractors to maintain transparency.