New House Financial Services Leadership Targets Digital Asset Regulation

The House Financial Services Committee has chosen leadership with an eye toward digital asset regulation.

Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) announced the new appointments Thursday (Jan. 9), promising to “right-size the regulatory system for particularly community banks,” and “create a regulatory framework for digital assets that will protect investors and consumers.”

In addition, Hill said the committee would “ensure agencies are focused on their core statutory directed missions” and not political agendas.

The committee’s vice chairman — a position held by Hill in the last term — will be Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.). In addition, Hill said, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) will serve as vice chair for communications, and Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-Fla.) will be committee whip, the latter to “ensure our Republicans are working together toward our common goal.”

In addition, the committee has announced chairs for its various subcommittees, including: Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Maine), Capital Markets; Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Financial Institutions; Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence.

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) was named chair of the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions, with Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA) overseeing the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Lastly, the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance will be chaired by Nebraska Republican Rep. Mike Flood.

As PYMNTS wrote earlier this week in a look at the upcoming legislative session, there have been a number of attempts at laws to create frameworks around digital asset markets.

For example, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act was passed by the House but not the Senate. The act would, among other things, establish standards for digital assets and consumer protections, and segregation of funds.

And then there’s the question of cryptocurrency. Speaking with PYMNTS, Mike Katz, a partner in Manatt, Phelps and Phillips Financial Services Group, said that “despite the razor-thin Republican majorities, there is a growing bipartisan consensus in Congress around the need for thoughtful, innovation-focused crypto and AI legislation.

“It will be interesting to see if any digital asset bills are part of the tax-and-border-focused reconciliation package already being discussed in Congress. I’d expect a strong stablecoin bill to move quickly given existing bipartisan support,” he added.