Trump Allies Push Senate to Advance CLARITY Act

Public statements from several officials, including David Sacks and Michael Selig, have renewed calls for the U.S. Senate to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act ahead of lawmakers’ return from recess on April 13.

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act would establish a federal framework defining regulatory oversight responsibilities between the SEC and the CFTC for digital asset markets.

Public statements issued April 9 by David Sacks, who recently stepped down from his White House role overseeing artificial intelligence and crypto policy, and Michael Selig reflect renewed public support among several policymakers for advancing the legislation during the current Senate session to move the legislation forward during a narrowing legislative window.

Officials Renew Calls Ahead of Senate Banking Committee Markup

The timing of the appeals – just four days before the Senate Banking Committee reconvenes – appears deliberate. A committee markup has been discussed for late April, according to recent statements from lawmakers, positioning the coming weeks as critical for the bill’s trajectory.

Sacks, who recently stepped down from his White House role overseeing artificial intelligence and crypto policy, framed the CLARITY Act as the next step in cementing U.S. leadership in digital assets. 

He pointed to prior progress under the GENIUS Act, which focused on stablecoin regulatory frameworks, arguing that broader market structure rules are now required. He remarked in a statement: 

“The time to act is now. Senate Banking and then the full Senate should pass the market structure. I’m confident that they will. And then President Trump will sign this landmark bill into law.”

This follows a separate call from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging the Senate Banking Committee to hold a markup and advance the bill to the president.

Regulators Signal Readiness to Implement

Regulatory leadership has also aligned behind the push. Selig echoed Bessent’s position in a public statement on X  and emphasised operational readiness, stating that both the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission could move quickly to implement aspects of the framework if enacted, as outlined in the legislation.

According to Selig, the CLARITY Act would provide durability against policy reversals under future administrations – a recurring concern for the digital asset sector.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins said in a statement tied to “Project Crypto”, an initiative described as an internal initiative intended to support implementation once legislation is enacted, once Congress acts. He wrote: 

“Project Crypto is designed so that once Congress acts, the SEC and CFTC are ready to implement the CLARITY Act. Comprehensive market structure legislation is essential to future-proof oversight against potential regulatory overreach.”

Senate Timeline Creates Pressure for April Markup

Despite bipartisan movement in prior stages, the bill faces a constrained timeline in the Senate. Cynthia Lummis confirmed that the Banking Committee aims to hold a markup in the second half of April.

However, Bernie Moreno has warned that failure to pass the legislation by May could push consideration into the period following the November 2026 midterm elections, effectively sidelining comprehensive crypto regulation for an extended period.

The CLARITY Act previously cleared the House with a 294–134 vote in July 2025, reflecting notable bipartisan support. The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its portion of the bill in January 2026, but momentum has since slowed.

The Banking Committee has already postponed its markup twice – first in January amid unresolved policy differences between committees, and again in March – raising concerns about further delays.

Officials Increase Public Calls for Senate Action

The synchronised statements from Sacks, Bessent, Selig, and Atkins point to an intensifying push from several officials who have publicly supported the legislation as the Senate reopens deliberations.

With prior delays and a shrinking legislative calendar, the coming weeks may represent a key window for advancing the legislation before the Senate’s legislative calendar becomes more constrained through the Senate before election-cycle dynamics take hold.

Whether that pressure translates into legislative action will likely become clear as the Banking Committee resumes work later this month.