CLARITY Act Talks Advance, Lummis Office Says White House Meeting Went Well

Senator Bernie Moreno confirmed the current proposal places the DOJ rather than state attorneys general in charge of enforcement. The DOJ role in crypto enforcement mirrors a broader debate over federal agency bandwidth, a topic covered in a recent look at the CFTC. Senator Angela Alsobrooks, whose vote helped give the bill momentum in committee, said the group will keep working from that floor. Her continued support is not a formality. Losing it would complicate the path to the 60-vote threshold on the Senate floor.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune offered a cautiously optimistic read when asked about the bill's prospects on Friday. "I think there's a good chance, knock on wood, that they'll strike something that we can get the votes for to get it on the floor," he told reporters. He added that the situation could change within hours.

The window before the August recess is narrowing. If the ethics text lands in the coming days as Lummis's office indicated, negotiators will have a limited number of legislative days to review the language and advance the bill before the Senate breaks.