US Lawmakers Advance Bill to Lock Trump's Bitcoin Reserve into Law

US lawmakers are one step closer to making Bitcoin a permanent part of the federal government's reserves. The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 (H.R. 8957) passed the US House Committee on Financial Services in a 28-21 vote, bringing Washington closer to recognizing Bitcoin as a long-term asset.

The bill aims to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate Digital Asset Stockpile within the Department of the Treasury for federally held Bitcoin and other digital assets acquired through criminal or civil forfeiture. Under ARMA, Bitcoin in the federal government's reserve would have to be held for a minimum of 20 years.

The legislation requires all federal agencies to provide a full accounting of digital assets currently held or controlled by the federal government and establishes transparency measures, including quarterly 'proof of reserve' reports and third-party audits. It also directs a study of budget-neutral acquisition strategies for expanding the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and allows states to store their Bitcoin in the Federal Reserve.