Congressman Tom Emmer Appointed as Vice Chair of Digital Assets Subcommittee, Promises America Will Guide Crypto Future

Emmer is a pro-crypto Congressman who now joins Bryan Steil as part of the subcommittee’s leadership to oversee crypto regulation in the US.

Tolu Ajiboye By Tolu Ajiboye Julia Sakovich Edited by Julia Sakovich Updated 3 mins read
Congressman Tom Emmer Appointed as Vice Chair of Digital Assets Subcommittee, Promises America Will Guide Crypto Future
Photo: Tom Emmer / X

Key Notes

  • Under Trump's leadership, Emmer will serve as the vice chair of the crypto and AI subcommittee.
  • Emmer promises to put the country at the forefront of crypto progress and innovation, especially with SEC Chair Gary Gensler gone.
  • Emmer is crypto-forward, and has contributed to multiple bills, including an anti-surveillance bill passed last year.

Congressman for Minnesota’s 6th District, Tom Emmer, has been appointed as Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence. In an X post published earlier today, Emmer expressed eagerness to work with subcommittee Chairman Bryan Steil as they steer the future of crypto and AI.

The Subcommittee was formed in 2023 and is responsible for developing and regulating cryptocurrency assets, as well as promoting inroads into financial technology. In addition, the Subcommittee’s functions extend to exploring artificial intelligence and its integration with financial services.

Emmer has had a long political career, serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2004 to 2008, before Congress. On January 6, 2015, Emmer began his first term in the US House of Representatives and is currently in his fifth term. He also serves as the House Majority Whip and sits on the Financial Services Committee.

Furthermore, Emmer has contributed to the crypto sector, serving as a part of the FIT21 Bill approved by the House of Reps last May. The bill, from the House Agriculture Committee and the House Financial Services Committee, seeks to clarify the SEC’s regulatory functions as well as improve user protections. In addition, FIT21 encourages innovation in the crypto sector and sanitizes the industry by regulating crypto exchange platforms and fighting scams.

Emmer Slams Outgoing SEC Chair Gary Gensler

As part of his X post, Emmer criticized Gary Gensler, suggesting the SEC Chair’s tenure was detrimental to the future of crypto in the US.  Emmer claimed:

“With President Trump in the White House, and Gary Gensler confined to the waste bin of Washington, we have an excellent opportunity to ensure that the future of digital assets is guided by Americans, with American values.”

Gensler is infamous in the crypto sector as an unsupportive figure, with his administration notoriously harsh on the industry, firing lawsuits against several known entities. As part of his Presidential campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville last July, promising to fire Gensler. Interestingly, his declaration was welcomed by loud cheers.

According to an official SEC announcement, Gensler will leave his position as SEC Chair on January 20, the day of Trump’s inauguration. Gensler also posted on X but added no information about cryptocurrencies.

Last May, the House of Representatives passed Emmer’s CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, which prevents the Federal Reserve from launching a “surveillance-style” CBDC. In a press release, Emmer noted that the bill “prevents unelected bureaucrats from issuing a financial surveillance tool to fundamentally undermine our American values.” Interestingly, Emmer is not entirely against a CBDC.

“This legislation affirms that if the federal government seeks to create a digital version of the US dollar, they can only do so with the explicit authorization from Congress…[and]…they’ve got to make it open, permissionless, and private,” he wrote.

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Tolu Ajiboye
Author Tolu Ajiboye

Tolu is a cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiast based in Lagos. He likes to demystify crypto stories to the bare basics so that anyone anywhere can understand without too much background knowledge. When he's not neck-deep in crypto stories, Tolu enjoys music, loves to sing and is an avid movie lover.