IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 238 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the impor-
tance 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 Tech-
nology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regard-
ing 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 decen-
tralized; 
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 unwar-
ranted, because PoW mining’s energy usage is trans-
parent 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 uti-
lize excess supply during off-peak periods, which im-
proves 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 ex-
perienced a record heatwave straining the electrical grid; 
Whereas in response to a conservation alert from the Electric 
Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the State elec-
trical 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 expe-
rienced record cold temperatures straining the electrical 
grid; 
Whereas in response to a conservation alert from ERCOT, 
the State electrical grid manager, Bitcoin miners collec-
tively 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 man-
ufacturing 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 reduc-
ing the amount of methane that enters the atmosphere: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) energy development should be a key pillar 
to the growth of the United States economy, infra-
structure, and national security, and Proof-of-Work 
mining can help develop advancements in all of these 
sectors; 
(2) digital asset Proof-of-Work mining can help 
facilitate energy development by collaborating with 
the energy sector, yielding an explosion of innovation 
that will improve United States energy independ-
ence; 
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•HRES 238 IH 
(3) digital asset Proof-of-Work mining is an im-
portant part of the United States ability to achieve 
energy independence and continued national secu-
rity; 
(4) China has chosen to push Proof-of-Work 
miners out of the country, and instead adopted a 
Central Bank Digital Currency; 
(5) the Federal Reserve cannot issue a Central 
Bank Digital Currency without congressional au-
thority; 
(6) the United States should invest in the dig-
ital asset industry and promote sustainable job 
growth and innovative development; and 
(7) the industry will bring high-paying jobs and 
technology training to areas where it is most needed. 
Æ 
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