US Crypto Market Structure Bill Discussions Continue During Government Shutdown

TLDR

• US lawmakers including Republican Senator John Boozman and Democratic Senator Cory Booker are set to meet with White House crypto czar David Sacks to discuss the digital asset market structure bill currently in the Senate.
• The 36-day government shutdown, now the longest in US history, has complicated discussions on crypto legislation by furloughing agency staff who provide technical expertise on the bill.
• The market structure bill passed the House in July with expected bipartisan Senate support, but debates over DeFi protocol provisions and the shutdown have slowed progress.
• Senate sponsors initially wanted the legislation signed by end of year, but timeline has shifted with some policy experts now expecting passage could extend into 2026.
• Patrick Witt, executive director of Trump’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, says the shutdown has allowed more lawmaker engagement but President Trump still wants the bill on his desk by end of 2025.

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US lawmakers are pushing forward with discussions on crypto legislation despite the federal government shutdown reaching 36 days on Wednesday. The shutdown is now the longest in American history.

Republican Senator John Boozman and Democratic Senator Cory Booker plan to meet with White House crypto and AI czar David Sacks. The call will focus on the digital asset market structure bill currently under consideration in the Senate.

The bill passed the House of Representatives in July. Many expected quick Senate approval with support from both parties.

However, progress has slowed for two main reasons. Democrats want specific provisions for decentralized finance protocols included in the legislation. The government shutdown has also created practical challenges for drafting the bill.

The market structure legislation needs approval from multiple Senate committees before reaching the full chamber for a vote. Senator Boozman serves on the Agriculture Committee, one of the panels that must review the bill.

Staff members from various government agencies who normally provide technical expertise on crypto regulations have been furloughed. This has created a knowledge gap during the drafting process.

Tuesday Elections May Delay Budget Deal

Democrats won several races in Tuesday’s elections above polling expectations. Some senators now suggest holding firm on budget negotiations to push for healthcare subsidies and reverse earlier spending cuts.

Senator Chris Murphy is among those calling for Democrats to maintain their position. This could delay a funding bill to reopen the government.

The shutdown has affected key financial regulatory agencies. The Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission are operating without full staff.

Patrick Witt serves as executive director of President Donald Trump’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets. He spoke at Ripple’s Swell conference in New York on Wednesday about the shutdown’s impact.

Timeline for Passage Remains Uncertain

Witt said the shutdown has presented complications for market structure discussions. However, he noted that lawmakers have had more time for meetings due to reduced government operations.

President Trump wants the market structure bill on his desk by the end of 2025. Witt said his team continues to meet regularly with senators from both parties.

North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis previously stated lawmakers had until early 2026 to pass crypto legislation. After that point, midterm elections would complicate the legislative process.

Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis co-sponsors the bill in the banking committee. She initially aimed for passage by end of year but acknowledged the timeline has shifted.

Lummis told Bloomberg on Tuesday that staff-level work continues daily. She described the discussions as bipartisan and said progress is being made at a detailed level.

Policy experts who spoke with reporters gave varying predictions. One said a committee markup could happen by Thanksgiving if budget negotiations conclude soon.

Another policy expert said passage through both houses of Congress by end of 2025 appears unlikely. They suggested the legislation could pass by the end of 2026 instead.

Summer Mersinger leads the Blockchain Association as CEO. She said Wednesday that the lengthening shutdown makes a 2026 timeline more probable for the bill.

Witt told reporters the shutdown created unexpected opportunities for engagement with lawmakers and their offices. His team has been able to discuss bill details that might have been overshadowed by other priorities during normal government operations.

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