[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 553 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 553

  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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 26, 2019

 Mr. Young (for himself and Mr. Markey) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``Federal agency'' has the meaning given the 
        term ``agency'' in section 551 of title 5, United States Code; 
        and
            (2) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Commerce.
    (b) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish within the 
Department of Commerce a working group to be known as the ``Blockchain 
Working Group''.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Blockchain Working Group shall be 
        composed of members, the number of whom shall be determined by 
        the Secretary, and who shall be appointed in accordance with 
        paragraph (2).
            (2) Appointment.--
                    (A) Representatives of federal agencies.--
                            (i) Designation of federal agencies.--The 
                        Secretary shall designate Federal agencies to 
                        be represented in 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.
                            (ii) Appointment of members.--The head of 
                        each Federal agency designated under clause (i) 
                        shall appoint an officer or employee of the 
                        Federal 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--
                                    (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 could use, or 
                                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; and
                                    (VI) rural and urban stakeholders.
    (d) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        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 known 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 to examine a range of 
                        potential applications, including nonfinancial 
                        applications, for blockchain technology; and
                            (iii) opportunities for Federal agencies to 
                        use blockchain technology.
            (2) Consideration of recommendations in nist internal 
        report 8202.--In making recommendations under paragraph (1), 
        the Blockchain Working Group may consider any recommendations 
        contained in National Institute of Standards and Technology 
        Internal Report 8202, entitled ``Blockchain Technology 
        Overview'' and published in October 2018.
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