[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1361 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1361

  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a working group to 
 recommend to Congress a definition of blockchain technology, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2019

Ms. Matsui (for herself and Mr. Guthrie) introduced the following bill; 
  which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a working group to 
 recommend to Congress a definition of blockchain technology, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Blockchain Promotion Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. WORKING GROUP TO RECOMMEND DEFINITION OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall establish within 
the Department of Commerce a working group to be known as the 
``Blockchain Working Group''.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Blockchain Working Group shall be 
        composed of a number of members to be determined by the 
        Secretary, to be appointed in accordance with paragraph (2).
            (2) Appointment.--
                    (A) Representatives of federal agencies.--The 
                Secretary shall designate Federal agencies to be 
                represented on the Blockchain Working Group, as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate to ensure 
                representation of a cross-section of Federal agencies 
                that could use or benefit from blockchain technology. 
                The head of each agency so designated shall appoint an 
                officer or employee of such agency to serve as a member 
                of the Blockchain Working Group.
                    (B) Representatives of nongovernmental 
                stakeholders.--
                            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        appoint representatives of nongovernmental 
                        stakeholders with respect to blockchain 
                        technology to serve as members of the 
                        Blockchain Working Group.
                            (ii) Representation of certain stakeholders 
                        required.--The members of the Blockchain 
                        Working Group appointed under clause (i) shall 
                        include representatives of the following:
                                    (I) Information and communications 
                                technology manufacturers, suppliers, 
                                software providers, service providers, 
                                and vendors.
                                    (II) Subject matter experts 
                                representing industrial sectors other 
                                than the technology sector that the 
                                Secretary determines can benefit from 
                                blockchain technology.
                                    (III) Small, medium, and large 
                                businesses.
                                    (IV) Individuals and institutions 
                                engaged in academic research relating 
                                to blockchain technology.
                                    (V) Nonprofit organizations and 
                                consumer advocacy groups engaged in 
                                activities relating to blockchain 
                                technology.
                                    (VI) Rural and urban stakeholders.
    (c) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Blockchain Working Group shall 
        submit to Congress a report that contains--
                    (A) a recommended definition of the distributed 
                ledger technology commonly referred to as ``blockchain 
                technology''; and
                    (B) recommendations for--
                            (i) a study to be conducted by the 
                        Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
                        Communications and Information, in coordination 
                        with the Federal Communications Commission, on 
                        the impact of blockchain technology on 
                        electromagnetic spectrum policy;
                            (ii) a study that examines a range of 
                        potential applications, including non-financial 
                        applications, for blockchain technology; and
                            (iii) opportunities within Federal agencies 
                        to use blockchain technology.
            (2) Consideration of recommendations in draft nist 
        report.--In making recommendations under paragraph (1), the 
        Blockchain Working Group may consider any recommendations 
        contained in the draft of National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology Internal Report 8202, entitled ``Blockchain 
        Technology Overview'', that was released in January 2018.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' means an 
        agency, as defined in section 551 of title 5, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce.
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