Key Insights
- U.S. Bitcoin reserve bill reaches House committee markup Sept. 16.
- H.R. 8957 would impose a 20-year holding period on reserve Bitcoin.
- The CLARITY Act faces a separate Senate procedural vote Tuesday.
The U.S. Bitcoin reserve bill advances to the House Financial Services Committee on Sept. 16. Lawmakers have scheduled H.R. 8957 for a markup session at 10:00 a.m. ET in Washington. This legislation aims to establish a statutory Strategic Bitcoin Reserve housed within the DAO controls and spends.">Treasury Department.
The initiative is significant because President Donald Trump already established a reserve via executive action in March 2025. H.R. 8957 seeks to enshrine that policy into federal law. Enacting the policy could make it much more difficult for a future administration to dismantle the reserve unilaterally.
U.S. Bitcoin Reserve Bill Heads to Committee Markup
The House Financial Services Committee added H.R. 8957 to the agenda for Wednesday’s markup. Congressional records officially refer to the measure as the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026. Rep. Nick Begich introduced the bill on May 21, with Rep. Jared Golden serving as the Democratic co-lead.
Records from the Government Publishing Office indicate the measure was referred to the Financial Services Committee ahead of the markup. If passed, the legislation would instruct DAO controls and spends.">Treasury to set up the reserve within 180 days of enactment. Furthermore, DAO controls and spends.">Treasury would be required to create a distinct stockpile designated for federally held non-Bitcoin digital assets.
During May announcements, Begich stated that the legislation would subject federal digital asset holdings to a more defined statutory framework. Golden emphasized that Congress had never previously set a long-term federal policy concerning government-held Bitcoin. Their remarks characterized the proposal primarily as a governance and custody framework rather than a mandatory purchasing initiative.
U.S. Bitcoin Reserve Bill Sets a 20-Year Holding Rule
Under the text of the bill, the Treasury would be mandated to preserve the Bitcoin reserve for a minimum of 20 years. Throughout this duration, the Treasury would be barred from selling, swapping, auctioning, encumbering, or disposing of any reserve assets. Afterward, the Treasury would study potential exceptions related to financial stability or national security.
Additionally, H.R. 8957 stipulates that quarterly proof-of-reserve reports must be published on the Treasury’s official website. These disclosures would detail aggregate holdings, transaction history, and verified control over the corresponding private keys. An independent third-party auditor would audit these reports, while oversight would also be provided by the Government Accountability Office.
Once the Treasury certifies the reserve is operational, the legislation would consolidate eligible forfeited Bitcoin holdings. Federal agencies would initially supply a comprehensive accounting of any Bitcoin and other digital assets under their control. Limited provisions within the bill address national-security cases, victim restitution, and court-ordered transfers.
The Treasury would retain the authority to sell or convert non-Bitcoin digital assets housed in the separate stockpile. The resulting proceeds would be funneled toward purchasing more reserve Bitcoin or decreasing the national debt. Additionally, individual states would be permitted to deposit Bitcoin into segregated Treasury accounts while maintaining legal ownership of those assets.
Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Would Extend Trump’s Executive Policy
President Trump signed Executive Order 14233 on March 6, 2025, which established both the Digital Asset Stockpile and the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. That executive directive instructed the Treasury to fund the reserve using government-owned Bitcoin obtained through federal forfeiture. It also specified that any Bitcoin placed into the reserve should not be sold off.
The previous executive order permitted the Department of Commerce and the Treasury to evaluate budget-neutral acquisition strategies. In a similar vein, H.R. 8957 calls for a separate study looking at possible asset acquisitions spanning five years. The legislation would investigate converting non-Bitcoin assets and utilizing other legal, budget-neutral mechanisms for acquisition.
This approach distinguishes the bill from other legislative proposals that demand large-scale open-market Bitcoin purchases. The U.S. Bitcoin reserve bill sets no mandatory quotas for buying Bitcoin. Instead, its primary focus remains on retention, custody, transparent reporting, and prospective budget-neutral growth.
The legislation also safeguards self-custody, private ownership, and the lawful transfer of digital assets. This safeguarding clause confines the reserve system strictly to voluntary state participation and government-owned assets, withholding authorization for any federal seizure of private Bitcoin holdings.
U.S. Crypto Regulation Faces Two Votes This Week
The committee markup for the reserve coincides with a busy week for U.S. cryptocurrency regulation. Senate schedules indicate that the CLARITY Act is up for a cloture vote on Sept. 15. This procedural vote will determine whether the Senate moves forward with debating H.R. 3633.
This scheduling places the reserve initiative alongside a concurrent legislative battle regarding digital asset market structures. While the CLARITY Act governs broader regulatory rules across crypto markets, H.R. 8957 concentrates solely on federal government reserves. Consequently, the two bills target entirely different segments of the U.S. regulatory landscape.
The Sept. 16 markup represents an initial phase in the legislative process for H.R. 8957. Advancing through the committee does not enact the bill into law or guarantee a full vote in the House. The immediate milestone is Wednesday’s Financial Services Committee markup event in Washington.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or investment advice. Legislative proposals can be amended during the congressional process and may not become law in their current form.
FAQ
What is H.R. 8957?
H.R. 8957, known as the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026, is a bill that seeks to establish a statutory Strategic Bitcoin Reserve inside the Treasury Department.
How long must the U.S. hold the reserve Bitcoin under the bill?
The bill imposes a strict 20-year holding period during which the Treasury cannot sell, swap, auction, or otherwise dispose of the reserve holdings.
Does the bill mandate purchasing more Bitcoin?
No, the legislation does not require large open-market Bitcoin purchases or set fixed acquisition targets, focusing instead on custody, retention, and budget-neutral studies.
Who introduced H.R. 8957?
Rep. Nick Begich introduced the bill on May 21, with Rep. Jared Golden serving as the Democratic co-lead.
Arnold Kirimi 
