Three members of Congress positioned digital asset regulation as a matter of nationwide safety and financial competitors throughout a panel dialogue at The Bitcoin 2026 Convention in Las Vegas on Monday.
Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) spoke on “The Bitcoin Bloc: A New Pressure in American Politics,” moderated by Faryar Shirzad, Chief Coverage Officer at Coinbase.
Miller-Meeks described Bitcoin as “monetary democracy” and linked cryptocurrency adoption to America’s 250th anniversary, framing help for digital belongings as patriotic. She cited the Chinese language Communist Celebration as a menace and characterised crypto coverage as a nationwide safety subject.
The Iowa congresswoman shared her background working by medical college and highlighted Bitcoin’s potential to guard ladies experiencing home abuse or violence.
She mentioned digital belongings can present ladies with sources past authorities attain, citing Canada’s trucker protest for example of presidency intervention in monetary accounts. Miller-Meeks acknowledged that older People specific issues about digital asset security.
Chinese language is driving bitcoin coverage urgency
Each Miller-Meeks and Nunn emphasised competitors with China as a driver for U.S. crypto coverage. Miller-Meeks acknowledged that China continues to pursue management within the digital asset sector however mentioned the US stays the very best setting for innovation.
Nunn warned that failing to advance American leadership in Bitcoin and digital belongings creates nationwide safety dangers. He known as for holding China accountable and mentioned dropping the November midterm elections might reverse 18 months of legislative progress, permitting adversaries to achieve floor whereas the U.S. falls behind.
“Selections and elections have penalties,” Nunn mentioned, pointing to particular anti-crypto Democrats as he mentioned the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections.
Nunn highlighted progress in Congress and the crypto sector, noting that the SEC underneath former Chair Gary Gensler imposed fines within the thousands and thousands of {dollars} for violations involving ideas Gensler didn’t perceive. Gensler was fired earlier within the Trump administration.
Lawler referenced the GENIUS Act as a constructive step however mentioned Congress should set up a complete federal regulatory framework.
He cited Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s op-ed in The Wall Avenue Journal and acknowledged that passing regulatory readability will place America on the forefront of the digital asset area. Lawler mentioned SEC laws ought to serve the crypto business’s greatest pursuits.
As a New Yorker, Lawler mentioned he desires the crypto business to stay in New York and really feel safe working within the state.
The ‘double taxation’ of bitcoin mining
Nunn criticized double taxation on Bitcoin mining operations, questioning why the U.S. taxes Bitcoin mining in a different way than different types of asset extraction. He mentioned extreme taxation drives innovation to different nations and emphasised the necessity to keep away from making it troublesome to conduct enterprise in the US.
The panel dialogue mirrored a broader shift in congressional Republican attitudes towards digital belongings, with lawmakers framing crypto coverage by the lens of geopolitical competitors and particular person monetary freedom fairly than shopper safety or monetary stability issues that dominated earlier regulatory debates.
