GOP Senators Push Bill to Slash U.S. Reliance on Foreign Bitcoin Mining Gear
Two Republican senators have proposed new legislation to boost domestic Bitcoin mining production. Bill Cassidy and Cynthia Lummis introduced the Mined in America Act on Monday. The bill aims to reduce reliance on foreign-made mining hardware and strengthen national security in the crypto sector. The U.S. now leads global Bitcoin mining with around 38% of the network's hashrate. This shift followed China's 2021 ban on crypto mining. Yet despite this growth, American firms still depend heavily on Chinese manufacturers like Bitmain and MicroBT for mining equipment.
Trade tensions and import restrictions have caused repeated disruptions. In March, U.S. customs temporarily blocked shipments of Bitmain machines over concerns about radio frequency emissions. Senator Elizabeth Warren has also raised alarms about potential national security risks tied to foreign mining hardware. The new bill seeks to change this by creating a voluntary certification system for mining facilities and pools. Certified operations would need to phase out equipment from 'foreign adversaries' and switch to U.S.-made alternatives. The legislation also directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership to help domestic firms develop secure, energy-efficient mining rigs. Beyond hardware, the act proposes establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. This move would further integrate mining into the country's economic and security strategies.
If passed, the Mined in America Act would push the U.S. to produce its own mining equipment. The shift could reduce dependence on Chinese suppliers and address ongoing import challenges. Certified facilities would rely on domestically manufactured hardware within a set timeframe.
