TLDR
- The CLARITY Act failed a key Senate cloture vote Tuesday, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance
- Digital Sovereignty Alliance managing director Adrian Wall says senators from both parties are considering another attempt
- Wall described a lame-duck session push as “a long shot” but said interest exists
- He said he heard the possibility directly from senators, not congressional staff
- If the lame-duck effort fails, Wall says the next Congress could pick up crypto market structure legislation
The CLARITY Act may get another chance in Congress even after failing to advance in the Senate this week. That is according to Adrian Wall, managing director of the Digital Sovereignty Alliance, a nonprofit that works with lawmakers on digital asset policy.
The CLARITY Act, which addresses crypto market structure, could see renewed action in the upcoming lame-duck session, according to Adrian Wall of the Digital Sovereignty Alliance. Lawmakers from both parties are reportedly discussing ways to move the bill forward before the…
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Wall spoke on Wednesday during Cointelegraph’s Chain Reaction show on X. He said he has talked directly with senators from both parties who are weighing another push on the crypto market structure bill before the current Congress ends.
“There is an appetite to put this forward even during the lame duck period of Congress,” Wall said. “Is it easy? No. It’s going to be very complicated. It’s a long shot.”
What Happened in the Senate
The CLARITY Act fell short on Tuesday when a Senate cloture vote failed to reach the 60 votes needed to move the bill forward. Wall called the result a “huge blow” for the legislation.
Despite that setback, Wall said the door is not fully closed. He stressed that what he heard came from senators themselves, not congressional staff.
“I’ve heard it directly from senators on both sides saying they have a strategy to engage the other side and see if there’s a last chance to do it,” Wall said.
The lame-duck session refers to the period after a congressional election but before the new Congress is sworn in. It is often used to push through legislation that did not advance during the regular session.
What Comes Next
Wall was clear that a lame-duck push would be difficult. Getting the votes needed to pass major legislation during that window is rarely straightforward.
But he said that even if the lame-duck effort fails, the work is not wasted. The next Congress could take up crypto market structure legislation where this one left off.
The CLARITY Act is one of the more watched crypto bills in recent sessions. It aims to set clear rules around how digital assets are regulated and whether they fall under securities or commodities law.
That kind of clarity has been a long-standing request from the crypto industry, which has pushed back against what it calls inconsistent enforcement from regulators.
Wall’s comments suggest the legislative push around crypto market structure is not over, even if this particular Congress does not finish the job.
The Digital Sovereignty Alliance works with both lawmakers and regulators on digital asset policy and has been active in pushing the CLARITY Act forward.
The failed cloture vote on Tuesday marked the most recent setback for the bill in the current Congress.
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