GitHub users respond to Gillibrand-Lummis bill with 'Bitcoin bill' idea

Now, every interested user has a chance to leave their mark on a crypto bill that could define industry guidelines in the United States in the near future: the Responsible Financial Innovation Act (RFIA).

On Wednesday, Senators Cynthia Lummis and Kirsten Gillibrand uploaded the full contents of their Responsible Financial Innovation Act (RFIA) on GitHub, a platform populated by software and product experts, in order to get public feedback. Lummis’ representatives commented:

“The senators seek comments from industry stakeholders, consumers and interested parties to ensure that this landmark legislation reflects the innovative nature of the industry it regulates, while also adding confidence, trust and stability for consumers.”

As of the press time, there are six comments available on the act page, with some of them being more of a solitary battle cry (“Taxation is theft!”), while others suggest debatable edits to the document.

GitHub user “Stduey” explained why Bitcoin is different and should not be included with risky assets due to its “absolute scarcity” feature, attempting to make a case for a separate bill for Bitcoin:

“If you buy 5,000 satoshis for $1, you will have 5,000/2.1 quadrillion satoshis, forever, and no one can change that. People cannot understand the magnitude of this yet but this subtle difference is what separates Bitcoin from every other crypto, fiat, precious metal, and commodity.”

Another GitHub commentator, “savage1r,” elaborated on the inconsistency of the current framework with regard to airdrops — it ties the taxable value of coins to its entry price, which might be significantly higher than at the cash-out phase:

“Airdrop receivers should only have to pay short or long term taxes on the coins they cash out assuming the initial value is $0 because they do not realize the gains until they trade or sell.”

Related: Lummis-Gillibrand crypto bill comprehensive but still creates division

The much anticipated RFIA was introduced in the U.S. Senate on June 7. There is a broad consensus among the community that the bill is favorable to crypto.