September 8, 2026
Mr. Issa (for himself and Mr. Gooden) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
To establish requirements and oversight for digital assets in the custody of Federal agencies, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Digital Asset Inventory and Audit Act of 2026
or the Inventory Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Cryptographic key material
The term cryptographic key material
means any cryptographic key, private key, public key, seed phrase, recovery phrase, mnemonic phrase, key share, multi-party computation share, authorization credential, digital signature credential, cryptographic parameter, or other cryptographic information or material, whether stored in physical, electronic, digital, or other form, that is used to generate, derive, authenticate, recover, authorize, validate, sign, transfer, or otherwise exercise custody, ownership, or control over a cryptocurrency or other distributed ledger technology-based digital asset.
(2) Digital asset
The term digital asset
has the meaning given to it in section 2 of the Genius Act (12 U.S.C. 5901).
(3) Discovery and scanning tool
The term discovery and scanning tool
means a technology software specifically designed to scan digital evidence and electronically stored information extracted from computers, servers, mobile devices, cloud environments, removable media, or other digital storage systems to locate, identify, validate, inventory, classify, and triage cryptocurrency private key material and other cryptocurrency-related artifacts for the purpose of discovering recoverable digital assets and supporting their audit, investigation, recovery, seizure, and forfeiture.
(4) Electronically stored information
The term electronically stored information
means digital evidence, digital storage devices, electronic records, cloud-based data, and any other electronically stored data.
(5) Federal agency
The term Federal agency
means any department, agency, bureau, office, or component of the United States Government, including the Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, Department of Homeland Security, Intelligence Community elements, regulatory agencies, and law enforcement agencies.
(6) Wallet material
The term wallet material
means a software application, hardware device, physical medium, custodial service, digital account, or other technological mechanism used to generate, store, manage, secure, access, recover, or utilize digital asset cryptographic key material or other authentication credentials for the purpose of holding, accessing, transferring, receiving, or otherwise exercising custody or control over a cryptocurrency or other distributed ledger technology-based digital asset. The term includes custodial wallets, non-custodial wallets, hardware wallets, software wallets, mobile wallets, web-based wallets, multi-signature wallets, multi-party computation wallets, and any successor technologies that perform substantially similar functions.
Sec. 3. Identification and safeguarding of digital assets in Federal custody
(a) Program establishment
Not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall issue a binding directive applicable to all Federal agencies that directs all Federal agencies that collect or seize electronically stored information such as digital storage devices, electronic records, and digital evidence to—
(1)
scan such electronically stored information for high value digital assets in the form of cryptocurrency private key material;
(2)
properly secure these assets as soon as practicable upon electronically stored information acquisition; and
(3)
conduct annual audits to oversee activity logs, ensuring comprehensive discovery, documentation, and secure handling and storage of all digital assets in government custody.
(b) Scanning upon seizure or forfeiture
For each criminal, civil, or administrative case in which a Federal agency seizes, forfeits, or otherwise acquires custody of electronically stored information, such agency shall, as soon as practicable, scan the electronically stored information for digital assets and associated cryptographic key material.
(c) Standards and protocols
The Attorney General, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall develop and publish technical standards governing—
(1)
discovery and scanning tools of electronically stored information for cryptocurrency private keys and wallet material;
(2)
secure extraction, storage, and access control of cryptographic key materials;
(3)
preservation of chain of custody and evidentiary integrity; and
(4)
logging and monitoring of all access to digital asset custody systems.
(d) Training
The Attorney General shall establish training programs for Federal law enforcement officers, digital evidence custodians, and forensic examiners regarding digital asset discovery, handling, storage, and audit compliance.
Sec. 4. Annual digital asset audits
(a) Audit requirement
Each Federal agency that collects, seizes, or maintains custody of electronically stored information shall conduct an annual digital asset audit to—
(1)
identify and account for all digital assets and cryptographic materials;
(2)
verify secure custody and access controls;
(3)
identify any loss, unauthorized access, or procedural deficiencies; and
(4)
document corrective actions taken.
(b) Reporting
Not later than 180 days after completion of each annual audit, the head of each Federal agency shall submit a report to the Attorney General and the Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Select Committee on Intelligence, and Banking of the Senate and the Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Financial Services of the House of Representatives detailing audit findings and remediation measures.
Sec. 5. Additional audit and oversight authorities
(a) Internal and external audits
In addition to audits conducted by the Comptroller General of the United States under section 7, the Inspector General of the relevant agency, in coordination with such office as the Inspector General determines appropriate or such monitors as the court may appoint, shall conduct an audit on electronic devices for digital assets and associated cryptographic keys.
(b) No limitation
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to—
(1)
limit the authority of any Federal entity with lawful audit or oversight jurisdiction;
(2)
authorize the collection, search, seizure, retention, review, disclosure or use of electronically stored information, digital assets or cryptographic private key material except as otherwise authorized by law; or
(3)
limit or impair any right, remedy, defense, privilege, protection, suppression argument, or procedural requirement otherwise available under law.
Sec. 6. Interagency coordination and oversight
The Attorney General shall convene an interagency working group to coordinate digital asset custody practices, share audit findings, and develop best practices across Federal agencies.
Sec. 7. Comptroller general review
(a) GAO review
Not later than 1 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 3 years thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States and relevant Inspector General Offices shall conduct a review of Federal agency compliance with this Act.
(b) Report to Congress
The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the review conducted under subsection (a) containing findings and recommendations.
Sec. 8. Forfeiture fund funding and appropriations
(a) Asset Forfeiture Fund
Section 524(c)(1) of title 28, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (I), by striking and
at the end;
(2)
in subparagraph (J), by striking the period and inserting ; and
; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(K)
payments for the acquisition of digital forensic tools necessary to carry out the Inventory Act of 2026.
(b) Department of Treasury Forfeiture Fund
Section 9705(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(K)
Payments for the acquisition of digital forensic tools necessary to carry out the Inventory Act of 2026.