Senate Delays CLARITY Act Cloture Vote as Ethics Negotiations Continue

• The Senate did not file cloture on the CLARITY Act Monday, delaying the bill’s expected procedural progress before the August recess.
• Ongoing ethics negotiations and unresolved policy disputes continue to complicate Senate support and the timing of a potential vote.
• Majority Leader John Thune could still file cloture this week as lawmakers work to resolve remaining disagreements over the legislation.

The Senate’s expected procedural step on the CLARITY Act did not happen Monday, leaving the bill’s path uncertain before the August recess. According to journalist Eleanor Terrett, Majority Leader John Thune did not file cloture as procedural work on the continuing resolution continued, while unresolved negotiations over ethics and other provisions also remained in play. Those issues now shape expectations for the coming days.

According to Terrett, procedural matters tied to the continuing resolution partly explain why Thune delayed filing cloture on the motion to proceed. However, she also reported that unresolved policy disputes and uncertainty over vote counts likely contributed to the decision.

Terrett said Thune could still file cloture as early as Tuesday once those procedural matters conclude. Under Senate rules, an intervening day and one hour must pass before the initial cloture vote takes place.

She also noted that the separate 30-hour period applies only after senators invoke cloture. Even so, she said the final outcome remains uncertain because several issues still await resolution.

Attention has now shifted toward bipartisan negotiations over ethics language. According to Terrett, the White House has not responded to the latest ethics counterproposal submitted by Senators Thom Tillis and Ruben Gallego.

The revised proposal reportedly expands an earlier framework and includes an enforcement role for state attorneys general. According to the report, Democrats have supported that provision, while the White House has resisted it.

Meanwhile, disagreements also continue over the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act and sections drafted by the Senate Agriculture Committee. Those discussions remain active as lawmakers work toward a possible vote.

John Thune recently told reporters he expects the Senate to vote on market structure legislation. However, he acknowledged uncertainty about whether lawmakers could formally begin debate.

According to Terrett, some people involved now want senators on the record regardless of the bill’s outcome. Senator Cynthia Lummis also said lawmakers should make a clear choice after negotiations expanded the legislation with additional law enforcement, ethics, and decentralized finance provisions.

Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute, also pointed to the GENIUS Act as an example of legislation that failed an earlier cloture vote before later passing the Senate. Meanwhile, negotiations continue as senators prepare for the next procedural step.