At The Bitcoin 2026 Conference in Las Vegas, three members of Congress—Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.)—underscored the critical intersection of digital asset regulation, national security, and economic competition. During a panel titled “The Bitcoin Bloc: A New Force in American Politics,” moderated by Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase, these lawmakers articulated a vision where robust U.S. digital asset policy is paramount for the nation's future.

Rep. Miller-Meeks framed Bitcoin as a form of “financial democracy” and connected the adoption of cryptocurrencies to America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, presenting support for digital assets as a patriotic endeavor. She identified the Chinese Communist Party as a significant threat and directly linked crypto policy to national security concerns. Drawing from her background, Miller-Meeks highlighted Bitcoin's potential to empower women facing domestic abuse or violence by providing them with financial resources beyond governmental reach, citing the Canadian trucker protest as an example of government intervention in financial accounts. However, she also acknowledged that older Americans frequently express apprehensions regarding the safety of digital assets.

Both Miller-Meeks and Nunn emphasized that competition with China is a primary catalyst for accelerating U.S. crypto policy. Miller-Meeks asserted that while China continues to strive for leadership in the digital asset sector, the United States offers the most conducive environment for innovation. Nunn issued a stark warning, stating that any failure to advance American leadership in Bitcoin and digital assets would inevitably create national security vulnerabilities. He called for holding China accountable and cautioned that a loss in the upcoming November midterm elections could jeopardize 18 months of legislative progress, thereby allowing adversaries to gain a strategic advantage while the U.S. lags. Nunn underscored the profound implications of elections, pointing to specific anti-crypto Democrats to illustrate the high stakes of the midterms.

Nunn also highlighted recent progress within Congress and the crypto sector. He criticized the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under former Chair Gary Gensler, noting that Gensler, who was fired earlier in the Trump administration, imposed millions of dollars in fines for violations related to concepts he purportedly did not understand. Rep. Lawler, on his part, lauded the GENIUS Act as a positive step but stressed the urgent need for Congress to establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework. He referenced Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, arguing that clear regulatory clarity would position America at the forefront of the global digital asset landscape. Lawler maintained that SEC regulations should genuinely serve the best interests of the crypto industry, and as a New Yorker, expressed his desire for the crypto industry to remain and feel secure operating within the state.

A critical point of contention raised by Nunn was the