The window for US Congress to pass a comprehensive market structure bill on cryptocurrencies is closing, with the Senate set to go on recess in a matter of days, and lawmakers still have not announced clear plans to vote on the legislation.
In a Wednesday X post, Senator Cynthia Lummis said she anticipated that the Senate would vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act before the chamber breaks for its month-long August recess. The Wyoming lawmaker has been one of the biggest proponents for the crypto bill, which has split many members of Congress and industry leaders over different provisions on ethics, stablecoins and tokenized equities.
“It’s just time to get people on the record,” said Lummis.
The CLARITY Act, which has been under consideration in the Senate since its passage in the House of Representatives in July 2025 with a 294-to-134 vote, still faces opposition from many Democrats looking for stronger ethics provisions affecting US President Donald Trump’s investments. The president has been under additional scrutiny since he disclosed he earned more than $1.4 billion from investments tied to digital assets in 2025.
Related: CLARITY Act failure could send crypto valuations lower: Bernstein
60-vote hurdle needed to pass CLARITY
As of Wednesday, Senate Democrats’ calendar showed no vote scheduled for CLARITY, giving the chamber only a few business days to resolve the matter. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Republican lawmaker who would have the authority to schedule a vote, is reportedly still planning to do so before Saturday. The bill would need 60 votes in the Senate to invoke cloture and end a filibuster, allowing it to advance in Congress.
The bill also faces opposition from at least one Republican lawmaker, according to a recent Politico report. Senator Josh Hawley will reportedly withhold voting in favor of the bill until it addresses concerns from banks. Although lawmakers did reach a compromise on the bill with banking groups over stablecoin yield, some industry leaders have continued to push for provisions requiring crypto companies to have comparable licensing and restrictions as banks.
After Friday, the Senate will be on recess until mid-September, pushing consideration of the crypto bill into the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
Magazine: Here’s why the CLARITY Act’s ethics deal may be so hard to reach
