Lummis Pushes CLARITY Act Vote Before August Recess
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- Senator Cynthia Lummis said she anticipates the Senate will vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act before its month-long August recess, declaring on X that "It's just time to get people on the record."
- The CLARITY Act passed the House in July 2025 by a 294-to-134 vote but still needs 60 Senate votes to invoke cloture, and as of Wednesday no vote appeared on Senate Democrats' calendar with only a few business days remaining.
- Senator Josh Hawley (R) will reportedly withhold his vote until the bill addresses concerns from banks, despite a prior compromise reached on stablecoin yield provisions between lawmakers and banking groups.
- President Donald Trump disclosed earning more than $1.4 billion from investments tied to digital assets in 2025, intensifying Democratic demands for stronger ethics provisions in the bill — a flashpoint that has divided members of Congress and industry leaders.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune is reportedly still planning to schedule the CLARITY vote before Saturday, after which the Senate recesses until mid-September, pushing any consideration into the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
Why it matters: If the Senate recesses without a CLARITY vote, comprehensive crypto market structure legislation effectively dies until after the 2026 midterms — a delay the crypto industry has spent months lobbying to avoid. The 60-vote cloture threshold combined with Hawley's banking-related hold and Democratic ethics demands tied to Trump's $1.4 billion in disclosed crypto earnings means Lummis's push is racing a narrow procedural window, not a policy one.
