Three members of Congress framed digital currency regulation as a matter of national security and economic competitiveness during a discussion at the Bitcoin 2026 Summit in Las Vegas on Monday.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), and Mike Lawler (RN.Y.) spoke on “The Bitcoin Bloc: A New Force in American Politics,” moderated by Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase.
Miller-Meeks described Bitcoin as a “financial democracy” and linked the adoption of cryptocurrency in America. 250 is commemoration, creating support for digital products such as patriotism. He also cited the Chinese Communist Party as a threat and said crypto policy is a matter of national security.
The Iowa congresswoman shared her experience working at a medical school and highlighted the potential of Bitcoin to protect women who are abused or abused.
He said the digital economy could provide women with income that the government can’t, citing the Canadian car show as an example of government intervention in financial accounts. Miller-Meeks acknowledged that older Americans worry about digital security.
China is rapidly implementing a bitcoin policy
Both Miller-Meeks and Nunn emphasized competition with China as a driver of US crypto policy. Miller-Meeks said China continues to pursue leadership in the digital economy but said the United States remains the best place for innovation.
Nunn warned that failure to advance America’s Leadership in Bitcoin and the digital economy pose national security risks. He called for China to respond and said losing the mid-November elections could undo 18 months of legislative progress, allowing adversaries to gain ground while the US lags behind.
“Elections and elections have consequences,” Nunn said, referring to the actual Democrats’ opposition to crypto when he discussed the midterm elections in the coming years.
Nunn pointed to progress in Congress and the crypto sector, noting that the SEC under former President Gary Gensler issued fines in the millions of dollars for violations that Gensler did not understand. Gensler was fired earlier in the Trump administration.
Lawler cited the GENIUS Act as a positive step but said Congress needs to implement a national regulatory framework.
He mentioned Finance Secretary Scott Bessent op-ed in The Wall Street Journal and he said that a clear explanation would put America at the forefront of the digital world. Lawler said the SEC rules should help the crypto industry.
As a New Yorker, Lawler said he wants crypto companies to stay in New York and feel safe working in the state.
‘Double taxation’ of bitcoin mining
Nunn criticized the double taxation on Bitcoin mining work, asking why the US taxes Bitcoin mining differently from other types of regional assets. He also said that higher taxes lead to the advancement of other countries and emphasized the need to avoid making it difficult to do business in the United States.
The group’s discussion marked a major shift in the Republican Party’s stance on the digital economy, with lawmakers framing crypto policies through global competition and individual financial freedoms rather than consumer protection or financial stability concerns that dominated past debates.
