tl;dr
The House passed HB 1664 on June 26, designating the Secretary of Commerce as the lead federal advisor on distributed-ledger technology. The bill mandates the Commerce Department to launch a Blockchain Deployment Program to develop policies, promote interoperability standards, study federal blockcha...
The House passed HB 1664 on June 26, designating the Secretary of Commerce as the lead federal advisor on distributed-ledger technology, positioning the Secretary as the President’s principal blockchain coordinator. This legislation mandates the Commerce Department to establish a Blockchain Deployment Program aimed at developing policy recommendations, promoting interoperability standards, and studying federal agency use cases for blockchain systems.
Within 180 days, the Secretary must convene advisory committees comprising federal agencies, technology vendors, academic institutions, cybersecurity experts, rural stakeholders, and blockchain creators. These committees will guide the development of best practices in areas including decentralized identity, key management safeguards, supply chain applications, and fraud mitigation. A standardized terminology for agencies and industry will also be developed to ensure a consistent language around blockchain technology.
The bill requires Commerce to explore how existing federal systems might benefit from tokenization and identify necessary security upgrades to protect critical infrastructure from distributed ledger threats. Importantly, the legislation prohibits compelling private companies to share data or mandating adoption of agency recommendations, preserving voluntary industry participation. The Blockchain Deployment Program will have a sunset clause set for seven years unless reauthorized.
Backed by bipartisan support, HB 1664 is framed as a competitiveness initiative designed to maintain and advance U.S. leadership in blockchain innovation. The bill, introduced by Representatives Kat Cammack and Darren Soto, now awaits consideration in the Senate, where companion legislation sponsored by Senators Bernie Moreno, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Tim Sheehy is pending. Upon enactment, the Commerce Department must report annually to Congress on program activities, emerging risks, and suggest any statutory adjustments needed to sustain U.S. leadership in distributed ledger technology.