Rep. Van Epps Helps Lead Legislation to Establish Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
WASHINGTON, D.C. Rep. Van Epps is proud to help lead Congressman Nick Begich’s legislation, the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 (ARMA). This landmark bipartisan legislation will establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and secure America’s dominance in the future of digital finance.
At the Bitcoin Nashville conference in 2024, President Trump introduced his proposal to consolidate the federal government's Bitcoin holdings. Following through on his promise, the President signed an executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. This legislation codifies President Trump’s executive order to solidify American leadership in financial innovation for years to come.
“Establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is long overdue. Consolidating the Federal Government’s Bitcoin and digital assets holdings will strengthen America’s financial position and help ensure the United States leads the future of digital finance. That’s why I am proud to help lead Rep. Begich’s American Reserve Modernization Act (ARMA),” said Congressman Matt Van Epps.“In addition to establishing a reserve, this legislation promotes transparency, security, and oversight of federally held Bitcoin. Just as importantly, the reserve would be established without cost to American taxpayers, while any sale of Bitcoin would only be for the purposes of reducing our national debt. With a national debt of $39 trillion, this is an essential piece of legislation.”
Rep. Van Epps continued, “Nashville is quickly emerging as one of the nation’s leading Bitcoin hubs, with a growing digital asset community, institutions like Bitcoin Park, and the annual Bitcoin conference, which is scheduled to come back to Nashville in 2027! Supporting this bill means supporting the financial innovation taking place in my district. A Strategic Bitcoin Reserve could potentially be used to solve major problems, like our federal debt. At the same time, there will be no cost to American taxpayers to establish the reserve.”
“The American Reserve Modernization Act positions the United States to lead confidently in the digital age while protecting taxpayer interests, strengthening financial sovereignty, and reinforcing the principles of transparency and sound stewardship,” said Congressman Nick Begich. “Private property rights are fundamental to the American Ideal, and those rights must extend fully into the digital space. As the global economy evolves, the United States must embrace policies that protect individual liberty, encourage new innovation systems, and diversify America’s core reserves balance sheet.”
Original co-sponsors of the legislation include Representatives Matt Van Epps (TN-07), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), Ben Cline (VA-06), Barry Moore (AL-01), Burgess Owens (UT-04), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Mike Carey (OH-15), Mike Collins (GA-10), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Michael Rulli (OH-06), Riley Moore (WV-02), Tim Moore (NC-14), Abraham J. Hamadeh (AZ-08), Pat Harrigan (NC-10), Mike Haridopolos (FL-08), Gabe Evans (CO-08), and Dave Taylor (OH-02).
Read the legislation here.
Background:
The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 establishes 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 legislation consolidates the custody and management of digital assets held across federal agencies under the Treasury to ensure secure stewardship, transparency, and consistent oversight of taxpayer-owned assets acquired through forfeitures, penalties, and other lawful government proceedings.
This legislation positions the United States as a leader in responsible digital asset custody while creating a long-term framework for the secure management of strategic digital reserves. The legislation requires all federal agencies to provide a full accounting of digital assets currently held or controlled by the federal government and establishes robust transparency measures, including quarterly public “Proof of Reserve” reports, independent third-party audits, and congressional oversight.
To reinforce the strategic nature of the reserve, the bill requires Bitcoin held in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to be maintained for a minimum of 20 years. The bill also protects Americans’ digital property rights by affirming that the federal government may not impair the lawful right of individuals to own, transfer, or self-custody digital assets. Additionally, the legislation directs a study on budget-neutral acquisition strategies to evaluate lawful methods for expanding strategic reserves without increasing taxes, deficit spending, or the national debt.
The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 builds upon ongoing congressional efforts to modernize federal digital asset policy and establish durable protections for the responsible management of strategic digital assets.