Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2025

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his steadfast support, and I also thank the ranking member for his support.

I rise today in support of H.R. 1664, the Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that I am proud to lead alongside my colleague Representative Darren Soto.

This bill is about far more than emerging technology. It is about securing America's future, economically, strategically, and technologically, in an increasingly digital world.

Blockchain technology is not a passing trend. It is a foundational innovation that is reshaping how we think about security, identity, data integrity, and commerce. From supply chains and finance to healthcare and identity management, blockchain is transforming the way our systems function.

Mr. Speaker, we are at a crossroads. While American entrepreneurs and technologists are ready to lead, they are operating in an environment filled with uncertainty. Too many innovators in this space face unclear rules, inconsistent Federal policies, and outdated frameworks that push investment and opportunities overseas. Meanwhile, nations like China are investing heavily in blockchain infrastructure and making it clear that their intent is to control the digital rails of the future.

We cannot afford to fall behind. American values of freedom, transparency, and accountability must guide the development of the next generation of digital infrastructure. That is what this bill ensures.

The Deploying American Blockchains Act takes a strategic, thoughtful approach by directing the Commerce Department to lead the Federal Government's blockchain effort. The Department will advise the President, establish a Blockchain Deployment Program, and ensure that the United States remains competitive in the development and application of this critical technology.

Importantly, this bill affirms that blockchain is not just a buzzword. It is the backbone of next-generation innovations in areas like supply chain security, smart contracts, digital identity, and fraud prevention. These applications aren't just theoretical. They are being deployed right now across sectors of the entire American economy. If we fail to lead, others will step in to define the rules of the road.

This bill sends a powerful message to our allies and adversaries alike: America intends to lead. We will lead. We will build, not just consume. We intend to shape the global standards for digital trust and transparency, and we will not allow authoritarian regimes to do so in our absence.

This bill is about leadership. It is about economic opportunity, and it is about protecting our American interests and ensuring that our technological edge continues to serve the people, our values, and our future.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this commonsense legislation. Together, we can keep America at the forefront of innovation and ensure that our digital future is one defined by liberty, accountability, and American leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1664, the Deploying American Blockchains Act. For decades, our Nation's technological leadership has helped build the largest, most dynamic economy in the world. We must continue working to ensure that we outcompete the rest of the world because our economic rivals are trying to close the gap.

This legislation commissions the Department of Commerce to support the leadership of the United States with respect to blockchain technology, which may have useful applications for supply chain monitoring, data security, and financial transactions. Investments that strengthen the ability of American industry to realize the benefits of new technology are essential to our global competitiveness.

I am very mindful, Mr. Speaker, that the chaos of the Trump administration is undermining U.S. leadership in technology development and deployment. If my Republican colleagues are sincere in their desire to win the race to adopt advanced technologies, they will start to speak up rather than quietly stand by while the Trump administration recklessly cuts critical Federal research programs, engages in mass firings of crucial experts, and engages in wild swings in national trade policy from week to week.

House Democrats have shown our commitment to American technological leadership. The CHIPS and Science Act, for example, makes transformational investments in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future. It will help us maintain our Nation's leadership in the industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. The CHIPS and Science Act is already making a huge difference, but we must build on this success rather than tear it down.

One other thing to note is that this bill should already be law. It was agreed to last year as part of a bipartisan, bicameral legislative package that was set to be passed and signed into law in December before Elon Musk killed the agreement.

That package included important provisions that would have lowered costs for hardworking Americans, but instead of passing it and sending it to the President's desk to be signed into law, my Republican colleagues caved to outside pressure from Elon Musk.

I do want to commend Representatives Cammack and Soto for their leadership on this issue. This is an important bill, and I encourage all my colleagues to support this legislation on a bipartisan basis.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I urge support of this bill on a bipartisan basis, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1664) to direct the Secretary of Commerce to take actions necessary and appropriate to promote the competitiveness of the United States related to the deployment, use, application, and competitiveness of blockchain technology or other distributed ledger technology, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on this particular bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1664, the Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2025, championed by my good friend and fellow Florida Gator, Representative Cammack.

This legislation directs the Secretary of Commerce to take the necessary actions to promote the competitiveness of the United States in the development and application of blockchain technology.

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize industries by enhancing security, transparency, and efficiency. Whether it is used as a privacy enhancement technology, a supply chain management tool, or as a method to provide a secure ledger to enhance data security, blockchain can usher in a new era in American technological leadership.

By fostering innovation and establishing best practices, this bill positions the United States as a leader in

blockchain technology, driving economic growth and technological advancement.

I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this very good bill primarily sponsored by my good friend Mrs. Cammack from the State of Florida. Let's get this done.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack), one of the most hardworking Members of Congress and my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this particular bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1664, the Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2025, which passed under voice vote. This bill gives the Department of Commerce broad authority to pursue U.S. leadership of blockchain technology.

This is an unusual circumstance because I actually support the legislation and supported the legislation during the last administration because we had a Secretary of Commerce then who was one of the finest public servants that I have had the pleasure of working with.

Now, however, we have a Secretary of Commerce who is pushing to use crypto to the benefit of himself and his own family, specifically his son, who is trying to make deals overseas.

Our Secretary has strong ties to the stablecoin Tether. He spent 40 years as CEO and chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald, one of Tether's key investors. He is using his and his family's weight to pitch Tether to foreign governments across the Middle East, turning public policy into personal profit.

The United States Government must be a free and impartial referee. We should not be a bull or a bear on crypto. We should ensure market integrity, force amplification of the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency, but that becomes impossible when the Secretary of Commerce is so conflicted as he is on this matter.

That is on top of the fact that the President himself has been selling off the Presidency with the $TRUMP meme coin. We cannot allow this administration to continue to grift off of blockchain.