A recently introduced House bill intends to create a task force to recommend a definition of blockchain technology to Congress. Couldn’t they just Google it?
On Monday, co-sponsors Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY) announced[1] their submission of HR 6913[2] to the House of Representatives. Called the Blockchain Promotion Act of 2018, the primary purpose of the bill seems to be about getting to a clear definition of blockchain technology.
In the statement on the bill's introduction, Guthrie said, "Blockchain can be a great resource for innovation and technology, but we must figure out exactly what [the] best common definition is and how it can be used."
To accomplish this task, the bill would create the Blockchain Working Group, which would within a year of the bill's passage, submit to Congress a report containing a "recommended definition of the distributed ledger technology commonly referred to as 'blockchain technology,'" a study on the impact of blockchain tech on "electromagnetic spectrum policy," as well as a set of recommendations about how federal agencies may utilize blockchain technology.
The makeup of this group would be decided by the Secretary of Commerce. Federal agencies "as the Secretary considers appropriate," would be chosen for inclusion, with the heads of those selected agencies designating representatives. The group will also include private sector members from the information and communications industry; representatives from "[s]mall, medium, and large businesses"; academics; nonprofits and consumer advocacy groups engaged in activities relating to blockchain technology; and other stakeholders.
While there is some possible disagreement over what does or does not qualify as "blockchain," it is unlikely that the definition of blockchain is sufficiently contested to necessitate the creation of a group dedicate to the question. Several states have passed legislation defining blockchain without creating a
