US House passes bill directing Commerce Department to take lead on blockchain innovation

The U.S. House passed a bill this week that would task the Department of Commerce with taking charge of blockchain technology initiatives, and its authors say it would "cement U.S. leadership in blockchain innovation."

The bill, the Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2025, was passed on Wednesday and is sponsored by Reps. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., and Darren Soto, D-Fla.

"Blockchain is more than cryptocurrency; it’s a next-generation infrastructure that can transform how we secure our supply chains, protect sensitive data, and support rural innovation," Rep. Cammack said in a statement. "The United States cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while China and other adversaries race to set the global rules of the road."

The passage of that bill in the House comes as lawmakers in Washington have been focused on also passing legislation to create a regulatory framework for stablecoins, and also one for the crypto industry overall. On Thursday, Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets Bo Hines revealed timelines for getting those bills passed by the fall.

The bill passed on Wednesday would create a "Blockchain Deployment Program" aimed at bringing together federal efforts, building public-private partnerships, and would also encourage input from industry leaders and rural communities, according to the statement.

"This bipartisan effort will strengthen our economy, enhance cybersecurity, and ensure that the development of blockchain technologies reflects American values of transparency, inclusion, and trust," Rep. Soto said in the statement.

The legislation was first introduced in March. A similar bill has been introduced by Sens. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, and Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del. The Department of Commerce is led by pro-crypto Secretary Howard Lutnick. The company he chaired, Cantor Fitzgerald, has provided custody services for Tether.