The House Financial Services Committee is set to review the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 on September 16. This legislation, introduced by Representative Nick Begich on May 21, 2026, aims to codify a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve under the management of the Treasury Department.
The bill requires a mandatory 20-year lockup period for all Bitcoin held in the reserve, prohibiting any sales or trades. It also mandates that the Treasury Department conduct quarterly audits through third-party organizations to verify the holdings.
Within 180 days of the bill becoming law, the Treasury must establish secure storage infrastructure. The reserve will consist of assets seized through criminal and civil forfeitures, meaning no taxpayer funds will be used for new market purchases.
The legislation also introduces a Digital Asset Stockpile for non-Bitcoin tokens. This framework builds upon a March 2025 executive order from President Trump that previously consolidated seized assets into a single reserve.
The committee markup is an initial legislative step. To become law, the bill must pass the full House of Representatives and the Senate before reaching the president for signature.
