Senate to Vote on Funding Bill as Crypto Legislation Stalls Amid Shutdown
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 — The U.S. government shutdown reached its 38th day on Friday, with the Senate preparing to vote on a temporary funding measure aimed at reopening federal operations.
According to the Senate’s official calendar, lawmakers are set to consider a continuing resolution passed by the House of Representatives to fund the government. It remains uncertain whether the bill can secure the 60 votes required for passage after several failed attempts in recent weeks.
Amid the funding gridlock, progress on the long-awaited digital asset market structure bill has effectively ground to a halt. The legislation — known as the CLARITY Act in the House and the Responsible Financial Innovation Act in the Senate — is intended to establish a unified regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies across the United States.
Several Republican lawmakers had initially hoped to move the bill out of committee by November. However, those plans have been derailed as Congress focuses on resolving the shutdown and budget disputes.
While members of Congress continue to receive pay during the shutdown, thousands of federal employees remain furloughed or are working without pay, leaving most legislative business — including crypto reform — on hold.
At the time of publication, it was unclear whether Republicans had made any progress in securing Democratic support, with Democrats maintaining demands for healthcare funding extensions and reversals of cuts included in the July spending bill.
Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, one of the crypto bill’s main sponsors, previously outlined a timeline aiming to advance the legislation through key committees by late 2024 and have it signed into law by 2026. But with the shutdown dragging on and the holiday recess approaching, that schedule now appears increasingly unlikely.
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