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CLARITY Act Senate Vote Eyed Before August Recess
A White House meeting this week brought law enforcement groups into the CLARITY Act discussion. Supporters need seven Democratic votes to pass the Senate before the August recess.
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The CLARITY Act is closer to a Senate vote after a White House meeting this week brought law enforcement groups into the conversation. The goal, according to people familiar with the discussion, is to get the bill to the floor before the August recess.
President Donald Trump's crypto advisor Patrick Witt and the White House Crypto Council hosted about 20 participants at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Wednesday. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer attended. David Sacks, the White House AI and crypto czar, gave opening remarks and left.
The meeting covered the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, a piece of the broader CLARITY package. A chunk of the discussion focused on crypto crime reporting and enforcement tools, according to journalist Eleanor Terrett, who reported on the gathering.
Five law enforcement organizations sent representatives: the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District Attorneys Association, and the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Their posture matters. Terrett noted that support from these groups – or at least a lack of opposition – could help sway key Democratic senators.
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Mark Warner are the names to watch. Both are seen as potential swing votes. Republicans do not have the numbers to pass the bill alone. With Senator Elizabeth Warren opposing crypto-friendly legislation, supporters need at least seven Democratic votes to advance the measure.
Senator Cynthia Lummis has said she expects the CLARITY Act to reach the Senate floor for a vote before the August recess. If moderate Democrats come on board, the path clears. If not, the bill waits until fall.
The outcome would give blockchain developers and crypto companies a legal framework they have been asking for. Whether the votes materialize before the break is the open question.