U.S. Treasury Building exterior for Strategic Bitcoin Reserve legislation coverage.

New Bipartisan House Bill Would Lock U.S. Bitcoin Holdings Into a 20-Year Strategic Reserve

By Isaac • May 24, 2026 8:39 am • Comments

Two House members from opposite sides of the aisle want to put the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve into federal law.

Congressman Nick Begich and Congressman Jared Golden introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 on May 21. The bill would create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve housed inside the U.S. Department of the Treasury and impose a minimum 20-year hold on any Bitcoin placed in it.

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ARMA carries bipartisan backing and more than a dozen original co-sponsors, including Buddy Carter, Ben Cline, Barry Moore, Burgess Owens, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Mike Carey, Mike Collins, Mike Lawler, Michael Rulli, Riley Moore, Tim Moore, Abraham Hamadeh, Pat Harrigan, Mike Haridopolos, Gabe Evans, Dave Taylor, and Matt Van Epps.

According to Congressman Nick Begich’s office, the legislation would require every federal agency to provide a full accounting of digital assets currently held or controlled by the federal government.

According to Congressman Nick Begich: Congressman Nick Begich’s official release is the primary source for ARMA’s structure. It says Begich and Congressman Jared Golden introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 to establish a secure Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the U.S. Department of the Treasury, alongside a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for federally held non-Bitcoin digital assets.

The release also says the bill would require a full accounting of federal digital asset holdings, quarterly public proof-of-reserve reports, independent third-party audits, and congressional oversight. The key Bitcoin detail is the minimum 20-year hold requirement for BTC placed in the reserve.

Congressman Nick Begich’s office said on May 21, 2026 that Begich and co-lead Congressman Jared Golden introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026. Begich’s press release said ARMA would establish a secure Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the U.S. Department of the Treasury and a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for federally held non-Bitcoin digital assets.

The press release listed original co-sponsors including Buddy Carter, Ben Cline, Barry Moore, Burgess Owens, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Mike Carey, Mike Collins, Mike Lawler, Michael Rulli, Riley Moore, Tim Moore, Abraham Hamadeh, Pat Harrigan, Mike Haridopolos, Gabe Evans, Dave Taylor, and Matt Van Epps.

ARMA would also create a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for federally held non-Bitcoin digital assets, keeping the Bitcoin reserve distinct from everything else the government might custody.

The bill includes a provision affirming that the federal government may not impair the lawful right of individuals to own, transfer, or self-custody digital assets. That language would write individual custody rights into federal statute.

The acquisition target is significant.

Cointelegraph reported that ARMA seeks to acquire around 1 million Bitcoin over five years through budget-neutral strategies.

According to Cointelegraph: Cointelegraph’s policy report frames ARMA inside the broader Bitcoin reserve push. It says the bill would establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile under the Treasury Department, seeks to acquire around 1 million Bitcoin over five years through budget-neutral strategies, and requires Bitcoin to be held for at least 20 years unless sold to reduce national debt.

The article also says the U.S. currently holds 328,372 Bitcoin worth more than $25.5 billion, the most of any nation-state, which explains why a federal-management framework matters before any future acquisitions are considered. Begich’s release said ARMA would require all federal agencies to provide a full accounting of digital assets currently held or controlled by the federal government.

Begich’s release said ARMA would establish quarterly public proof-of-reserve reports, independent third-party audits, and congressional oversight. Begich’s release said Bitcoin held in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve would have to be maintained for a minimum of 20 years.

Begich’s release said the bill would affirm that the federal government may not impair the lawful right of individuals to own, transfer, or self-custody digital assets.

Moving from 328,000 BTC to a million would triple the federal stack and cement the United States as the dominant sovereign Bitcoin holder by a wide margin.

The policy context here is durability. President Trump signed an executive order in 2025 directing the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

Executive orders can be reversed by any future president with a pen stroke. A statute passed by Congress and signed into law is far harder to undo.

ARMA would codify the reserve framework, lock in the 20-year hold, and layer on transparency requirements that go beyond anything the executive order mandated. Quarterly proof-of-reserve reports and independent audits would give the public and Congress a verifiable look at government Bitcoin custody.

The bill still has to clear committee and get a floor vote in the House before it reaches the Senate, so there is real legislative distance ahead. But the bipartisan sponsor list and the detailed audit framework suggest this is a serious policy vehicle, and the Bitcoin market will be watching every step of the markup process.

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