,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #haec  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,september #a1 #bjbj 
,mr4 ,soto 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,guthrie1 
and ,ms4 ,matsui7 introduced the        
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce 
,a ,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of 
,commerce1 in consultation with the     
,federal ,trade ,commission1 to conduct 
a study and submit to ,congress a report
 on the state of the blockchain         
technology and use in consumer          
protection1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,blockchain ,innovation ,act4  #b4 
,study on blockchain technology and its 
use in consumer protection  7a7 ,in     
general  7#a7 ,study required ,not later
 than one year after the date of        
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,commerce1 in consultation with the  
,federal ,trade ,commission1 and in     
consultation with any other appropriate 
,federal agency the ,secretary          

determines appropriate1 shall conduct a 
study on current and potential use of   
blockchain technology in commerce and   
the potential benefits of blockchain    
technology for limiting fraud and other 
unfair and deceptive acts and practices4
  7#b7 ,requirements for study ,in      
conducting the study1 the ,secretary    
shall examine-- 7,a7 trends in the      
commercial use of and investment in     
blockchain technology2  7,b7 best       
practices in facilitating public-private
 partnerships in blockchain technology2 
7,c7 potential benefits and risks of    
blockchain technology for consumer      
protection2  7,d7 how blockchain        
technology can be used by industry and  
consumers to reduce fraud and increase  
the security of commercial transactions2
  7,e7 areas in ,federal regulation of  
blockchain technology where greater     
clarity would encourage domestic        
innovation2 and  7,f7 any other relevant
 observations or recommendations related
 to blockchain technology and consumer  

protection4  7#c7 ,public comment ,in   
producing the study required in         
subsection 7a77#b71 the ,secretary shall
 provide opportunity for public comment 
and advice relevant to the production of
 the study4  7b7 ,report to congress    
,not later than #f months after the     
completion of the study required        
pursuant to subsection 7a71 the         
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of  
the ,house of ,representatives and the  
,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and  
,transportation of the ,senate1 and make
 publicly available on the website of   
the ,department of ,commerce1 a report  
that contains the results of the study  
conducted under subsection 7a74