CLARITY Act Faces Setback Risk as Gallego Urges Slower Pace

Senator Ruben Gallego told the cryptocurrency industry to stop pushing for a quick Senate vote on the CLARITY Act, warning that unresolved disputes over ethics rules and stablecoin yield could delay the entire digital asset package. Speaking at the SALT Wyoming Blockchain Symposium, he said forcing the bill forward before lawmakers finish negotiating key sections would risk setting the whole effort back.

Gallego said the CLARITY Act still needs substantial work across committees, including finalizing the Agriculture Committee portion and assembling the full legislative package. He argued that the industry should encourage Democrats and Republicans to keep negotiating instead of pressing for an immediate vote. Any attempt to accelerate the process could produce a result neither side wants, he said, especially with several structural questions still unresolved.

He noted that he and Senator Thom Tillis submitted compromise ethics language to the White House before recess but had not received a detailed response. Strong ethics rules are essential to secure Democratic support and move the CLARITY Act forward, Gallego said. Instead, he described a pattern of incomplete or regressive replies from the administration, adding that the lack of clarity made it harder to finalize the bill.