Republican Senators Urge Sept. 15 Vote to Advance Clarity Act, Say Debate Is Sufficient

As the Senate heads toward a procedural vote on the Clarity Act on September 15, Republicans are intensifying calls for the chamber to move the bill ahead quickly. The vote will not determine whether the measure passes. It will decide whether the Senate advances consideration of the legislation.

Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican, wrote on X on September 14 that the US should set the rules for the future of finance rather than watch that future move overseas. He added that clear rules are needed to protect consumers while keeping innovation in the US.

"We've already had enough discussion," McCormick wrote. "The Senate should vote on Tuesday to move the Clarity Act forward."

Sen. Bernie Moreno, also a Republican, urged support for the procedural vote. A vote against the measure on September 15 would not be a carefully targeted objection to a specific provision of the bill, he said. Rather, it would amount to a vote to keep the entire industry in uncertainty, without rules or a US regulatory framework, while allowing it to continue growing overseas.

Moreno added that lawmakers have spent thousands of hours building a regulatory framework so the US can lead in the technology instead of letting it leave the country. Dozens of senators took part in the discussions, he said, and the bill has already cleared committee with bipartisan support and passed the House.