AsianFin — U.S. lawmakers are pressing the Treasury Department to study whether the federal government should create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and establish clear protocols for holding and managing digital assets.

Provisions included in a House appropriations bill filed Friday by Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) direct Treasury to evaluate both the feasibility and governance of such a reserve, from custody and cybersecurity to legal authority and interagency coordination.

The measure, approved by the House Appropriations Committee and added to the Union Calendar on September 5, would make the proposal eligible for floor debate. Joyce’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Under Section 137, Treasury would be required to report on “the practicability of establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and United States Digital Asset Stockpile,” including how such a move might affect the Treasury Forfeiture Fund and what legal authorities would permit asset transfers.

Section 138 calls for a 90-day plan outlining “custody architecture, legal authorities, cybersecurity protocols, and interagency procedures” for government-held digital assets.