Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has called on U.S. lawmakers to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act as the legislation faces renewed resistance from a group of Senate Democrats.
Summary
- Brad Garlinghouse urged Congress to pass the CLARITY Act rather than wait for perfect legislation.
- Seven Senate Democrats opposed the latest draft, demanding stronger ethics, consumer protection, and enforcement safeguards.
- Brian Armstrong said the bipartisan bill is ready for a Senate vote after lengthy negotiations.
Garlinghouse backed comments from Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty, who argued that lawmakers should not abandon the bill while seeking a perfect compromise. The renewed industry push follows the release of updated legislative text as Congress approaches its August recess.
Garlinghouse responded to Alderoty’s call for lawmakers to move the legislation forward despite unresolved disagreements. Ripple has supported federal crypto market structure legislation throughout the current congressional negotiations.
“Perfect can’t be the enemy of good. Let’s get this done!,” said Garlinghouse.
Alderoty described the CLARITY Act as a consumer protection measure that would strengthen anti-money laundering and know-your-customer requirements while giving law enforcement and state authorities clearer tools to act against misconduct. Garlinghouse agreed with that position in his July 22 response.
The comments mark another public intervention from Ripple as the bill moves through a difficult final stage. Garlinghouse has repeatedly pushed lawmakers to establish federal rules for digital assets and previously expressed confidence that the legislation could advance in 2026.
Seven Senate Democrats reject latest draft
The latest version still lacks the Democratic support needed for an easy path through the Senate. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto, Angela Alsobrooks, Cory Booker, Ruben Gallego, John Hickenlooper, Mark Warner and Raphael Warnock issued a joint statement opposing the current text while saying negotiations should continue.
The senators said provisions covering ethics, consumer protection, illicit finance, conflicts of interest and market integrity needed further work. Their statement said they had negotiated with Republican colleagues for the past year and remained willing to seek an agreement.
Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren also criticized the new text. She argued that its ethics provisions did not adequately address President Donald Trump’s crypto business interests and said the wider bill still lacked sufficient investor and national security protections.
The opposition creates a difficult vote count for supporters. As crypto.news reported in June, the legislation became eligible for Senate floor consideration after reaching the legislative calendar, but Republicans still need Democratic votes to clear the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.
Coinbase joins Ripple in calling for Senate vote
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has also urged lawmakers to advance the bill. In a July 22 statement, Armstrong said the CLARITY Act was ready for a full Senate floor vote after months of negotiations between lawmakers and industry participants.
“The bill represents a true bipartisan compromise with thousands of hours of work on both sides,” noted Armstrong.
Armstrong argued that the absence of a single federal framework leaves consumers exposed and pushes parts of the crypto industry outside U.S. regulatory reach. His current support follows an earlier dispute over the legislation. Coinbase opposed a January draft, leading the Senate Banking Committee to postpone a planned markup, before supporting revised language later in the year.
The broader industry has also pressed Congress to act. As previously reported, more than 120 crypto organizations, including Ripple, Coinbase, Kraken and Circle, called for Senate action in April. The groups argued that the lack of market structure rules created uncertainty for companies operating in the U.S.
CLARITY Act faces a narrowing Senate window
The legislation seeks to establish a federal framework for digital asset markets and clarify regulatory roles across agencies. Senate Banking Committee materials describe consumer protection, national security and clearer oversight of digital asset markets as central goals of the proposal.
However, lawmakers continue to disagree over ethics provisions and other safeguards. The latest Democratic opposition came after Republicans released updated text on July 22, keeping negotiations active rather than producing a final bipartisan agreement.
Time also remains a factor. Sen. Cynthia Lummis viewed passage before the August recess as a more realistic target after earlier deadlines slipped. The Senate’s scheduled recess leaves supporters with a narrowing window to resolve disputes and secure enough votes.
Garlinghouse and Armstrong are now pressing lawmakers to accept the current compromise and continue improving federal crypto rules after passage. The seven Democratic senators opposing the latest text have taken a different position, saying they remain open to negotiations but want stronger protections before supporting the legislation.
The CLARITY Act therefore remains positioned for further Senate debate rather than guaranteed passage. Its next steps depend on whether lawmakers can settle the remaining ethics, consumer protection and enforcement disputes while preserving enough bipartisan support for a floor vote.
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