The White House and Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis have blamed Senate Democrats for the CLARITY Act’s failure to advance, escalating partisan tensions over landmark U.S. cryptocurrency legislation.
The Senate voted 49-50 on September 15 against invoking cloture on the motion to proceed with the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, falling short of the 60 votes required to move forward with debate. Official Senate records confirm the procedural vote failed.
A White House official accused Democrats of prioritizing politics over U.S. technology and innovation, arguing that the Trump administration had accepted extensive ethics restrictions intended to address concerns surrounding federal officials and digital assets.
Lummis, a leading Republican negotiator on the crypto market structure bill, made similar accusations. Her office said the final proposal incorporated 126 substantive changes requested by Democrats following more than a year of negotiations. Those revisions included ethics provisions, additional consumer protections and measures addressing illicit finance and stablecoins.
Democrats, however, remained concerned that the ethics provisions did not sufficiently address potential conflicts involving President Donald Trump’s crypto interests. Those concerns were among the key issues dividing lawmakers before the vote.
The CLARITY Act is designed to establish a comprehensive U.S. crypto market structure framework, including clearer regulatory responsibilities for the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission and rules governing digital asset companies.
Republican opposition also contributed to the failed procedural vote. Senators Susan Collins, Josh Hawley and Jerry Moran voted against advancing the measure, while Thom Tillis switched his vote to “no” to preserve the option of seeking reconsideration.
With the November midterm elections approaching, prospects for another Senate vote remain uncertain. The setback leaves federal agencies, including the SEC and CFTC, continuing to develop digital asset regulations under existing statutory authority while Congress remains divided over a broader legislative framework.


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