IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 238 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of Proof-of-Work mining, used for certain cryptocurrencies such 

as Bitcoin, to the United States ability to achieve its energy goals 

and grow its economy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 21, 2023 

Mr. SESSIONS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees 

on Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of Proof-of-Work mining, used for 

certain cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, to the United 

States ability to achieve its energy goals and grow its 

economy. 

Whereas Proof-of-Work (PoW) mining requires the use of 

high-powered computing to guess at a random, encrypted 

number to win the right to make the next block in a 

blockchain and thereby earn Bitcoin; 

Whereas this process sets the rules for miners and verifies 

the legitimacy of every transaction using the Blockchain; 


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•HRES 238 IH 

Whereas PoW mining is an essential process that allows for 

a blockchain network to remain trusted, open, and decentralized; 

Whereas it ensures that any individual can participate equally 

in the process if they are willing to allocate the resources; 

Whereas PoW mining does require energy consumption for 

this validation process, many of the concerns are unwarranted, because PoW mining’s energy usage is transparent and verifiable; 

Whereas PoW mining uses .14 percent of the global energy 

supply, which is less than the amount of electricity lost 

in transmission and distribution each year; 

Whereas PoW mining seeks out low-cost energy and can utilize excess supply during off-peak periods, which improves the overall economic viability of renewable energy 

projects; 

Whereas PoW mining also contributes to grid stability 

through demand response, whereby miners can quickly 

curtail load to maintain equilibrium between supply and 

demand on the electrical grid; 

Whereas PoW mining economics are notably responsive to 

electricity prices, and miners can curtail operations when 

electricity supply is low or prices are high, providing 

more energy to households and the grid during times of 

heavy demand; 

Whereas, during the summer of 2022, the State of Texas experienced a record heatwave straining the electrical grid; 

Whereas in response to a conservation alert from the Electric 

Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the State electrical grid manager, Bitcoin miners collectively reduced 

usage by over 1,000 MW; 


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•HRES 238 IH 

Whereas, during the winter of 2022, the State of Texas experienced record cold temperatures straining the electrical 

grid; 

Whereas in response to a conservation alert from ERCOT, 

the State electrical grid manager, Bitcoin miners collectively reduced usage by up to 1,475 MW which is enough 

power to heat 1,470,000 small homes; 

Whereas no other industry that uses similar levels of energy, 

including data centers, cloud service providers, and manufacturing facilities, has the capacity to reduce energy 

usage instantaneously without adverse effects; and 

Whereas PoW mining can reduce methane emissions by using 

stranded or wasted methane as a fuel source, thus reducing the amount of methane that enters the atmosphere: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) energy development should be a key pillar 

4 to the growth of the United States economy, infra5 structure, and national security, and Proof-of-Work 

6 mining can help develop advancements in all of these 

7 sectors; 

8 (2) digital asset Proof-of-Work mining can help 

9 facilitate energy development by collaborating with 

10 the energy sector, yielding an explosion of innovation 

11 that will improve United States energy independ12 ence; 


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•HRES 238 IH 

1 (3) digital asset Proof-of-Work mining is an im2 portant part of the United States ability to achieve 

3 energy independence and continued national secu4 rity; 

5 (4) China has chosen to push Proof-of-Work 

6 miners out of the country, and instead adopted a 

7 Central Bank Digital Currency; 

8 (5) the Federal Reserve cannot issue a Central 

9 Bank Digital Currency without congressional au10 thority; 

11 (6) the United States should invest in the dig12 ital asset industry and promote sustainable job 

13 growth and innovative development; and 

14 (7) the industry will bring high-paying jobs and 

15 technology training to areas where it is most needed. 

Æ 


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