CLARITY Act and GENIUS Act Survive Historic 10-Hour House Vote

• The House passed a procedural rule 217-212 after the longest vote in congressional history, and both crypto bills now move to final floor votes. 

• Republican holdouts changed their stance after Trump secured anti-CBDC language in the CLARITY Act. 

• The GENIUS Act could become law this week if it passes final voting.

The U.S. House of Representatives has cleared a major procedural hurdle for digital asset regulation, advancing the CLARITY Act and GENIUS Act following the longest recorded vote in congressional history. The marathon session lasted nearly ten hours, setting the stage for final floor votes that could occur as early as today.

Historic Vote Breaks Congressional Records

Wednesday’s procedural vote began at 1:19 p.m. ET and concluded at 11:04 p.m. ET, establishing a new record for the longest House vote in history. According to reporter Eleanor Terrett’s confirmation, the House narrowly passed the procedural rule by a 217-212 margin.

The extended timeline resulted from intense behind-the-scenes negotiations. Several Republican holdouts who initially blocked Tuesday’s vote changed their positions after meeting with former President Trump. These lawmakers secured a commitment to add strong anti-Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) language to the CLARITY Act, addressing concerns about potential federal overreach.

Representative Bryan Steil acknowledged the historic nature of the vote on X, stating, “After the longest House vote in history…Crypto Week continues on!”

The breakthrough came when hesitant Republican lawmakers assented that anti-CBDC language would be incorporated into the CLARITY Act. While the GENIUS Act remains closed to amendments, this compromise proved sufficient to bring resistant members on board.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill praised the outcome in a released statement, congratulating President Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, and other Republican leaders for their engagement in crafting a strategy to advance Trump’s digital asset agenda through the House.

Legislative Framework for Digital Assets

The CLARITY Act, developed by House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson and Subcommittee Chairs Dusty Johnson and Bryan Steil, aims to establish clear regulatory frameworks for digital asset markets. The legislation represents a significant step toward comprehensive crypto regulation in the United States.

Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s separate Anti-CBDC Surveillance Act would protect American consumers’ privacy and limit potential federal surveillance through central bank digital currencies. The measure addresses growing concerns about government overreach in digital currency implementation.

The procedural vote followed an earlier 215-211 motion to reconsider the bills after Tuesday’s failure caused by internal Republican divisions. Chairman Hill previously assured reporters that sufficient cross-party support exists to pass both pieces of legislation.

If successful, President Trump would sign the GENIUS Act into law before the week’s end. Supporters describe this potential outcome as opening a “golden age” for U.S.-regulated digital assets, potentially transforming the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency markets and blockchain technology.