US Senate Leaves CLARITY Act Off Weekly Floor Schedule, Casting Doubt on Pre-Recess Passage

The U.S. Senate left the CLARITY Act, a cryptocurrency market structure bill, off this week’s floor voting schedule, casting doubt on whether it can clear the chamber before recess.

CryptoSlate reported on Aug. 2 that the Senate’s floor schedule released that day did not include any CLARITY Act-related item. The Senate was set to reconvene at 3 p.m. Eastern and hold only a cloture vote at about 5:30 p.m. on the motion to proceed to the temporary spending bill, H.R. 6500.

As of July 31, the CLARITY Act, H.R. 3633, also was absent from the Senate’s cloture filings. That suggests Senate leaders have not yet begun the formal process to bring the bill to the floor.

The measure has not been ruled out entirely. With the Senate set to begin recess on Aug. 10, momentum could return if leaders file for cloture this week or broker a bipartisan agreement.

Negotiations are continuing over how to advance the bill and win Democratic support. Democratic negotiators, including Senator Ruben Gallego, have said the revised draft remains insufficient, though talks will continue. Senator Elizabeth Warren, by contrast, opposes the amended version.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, previously said he would move ahead with a procedural vote before recess if sufficient Democratic support is secured.

Market participants are focused on whether Senate leaders file for cloture on the CLARITY Act this week or unveil a new voting timetable, a step that could determine the bill’s path forward.