Regarding membership, I don't think that you need to have any to participate in a government auction, you just need to know where to go and where you can register.
Yeah you need to register for approval to be able to participate in a BTC auctions by the U.S. government, you'll also have to make a deposit of $200,000 to be able to participate, if for any reason you are disqualified from the auction or you don't win in the bid, your $200,000 will be returned to you.
The problem with auctioning is that only the rich and invited members are always allowed to visit such places, a common guy like you and I wouldn't get the chance. Funny how people's bitcoin where seized for the benefit of tax and rich men, spit on these old men.
I don't think this is a problem, the U.S. government usually sells a large amount of coins, and the auctions are online and open, but you'll have to make an initial depost of $200,000 to just participate in the auction, "common people" cannot afford that, neither do they have the money to buy the coins that's being actioned. The "common guy" must not buy BTC's from government auctions if truly that's their only hinderance, they can purchase through exchanges or OTC, but that's not it, the amount in question here can only be purchased by the rich and also by institutions.