- White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt has secured a deferral from the Georgia Army National Guard service to stay for the Clarity Act’s major Senate vote.
- His statement comes ahead of a big week for the Clarity Act.
- Patrick Witt has criticized lawmakers for delaying the bill while Russia moves forward with pro-crypto legislation.
With the Senate facing a narrow window to pass the Clarity Act before the August recess, White House crypto advisor Patrick Witt has secured a deferment from the Georgia Army National Guard service that threatened to pull him away at a very crucial moment.
In the official post, Patrick Witt said, “Last week, it was reported that I was set to leave for mandatory training as part of my service in the Georgia Army National Guard, right before Clarity hits the Senate floor. While I remain committed to fulfilling my service obligation, I am grateful to report that my training has been deferred, and that I will be able to see this effort through to the end.”
According to multiple sources, the bill still needs 7 votes of Democratic members to reach the required threshold of 60 votes to pass. However, there is still major debate on final negotiations over ethics language and consumer protections.
Witt had already postponed his Guard training once in April to advance the CLARITY Act. In the post, he thanked President Trump and former crypto czar David Sacks for the opportunity to remain on the job.
Patrick Witt Slams Lawmakers Over Clarity Act Delay as Russia Advances Crypto Bill
Earlier today, Patrick Witt took an indirect shot at US lawmakers for the delay in the approval of the Clarity Act while countries like Russia are actively working with pro-crypto legislation. Patrick Witt quoted an earlier post which he shared a few days ago, saying that “The world won’t wait on America forever. We can either lead the way on digital assets by passing the Clarity Act, or watch as someone else sets the rules of global finance for us.”
Russia is inches away from establishing a clear regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies. The major bill, “On Digital Currency and Digital Rights,” passed its first reading in the State Duma in April 2026, and it is scheduled for its second and third readings on July 21, 2026.
The legislation will recognize crypto as property, which will allow regulated trading through licensed intermediaries, and will allow limited uses such as purchasing securities and swapping digital assets.
Clarity Act Enters Critical Window Ahead of August Recess
This week is one of the final opportunities for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) to appear in the Senate before the August recess. There is a very small window of legislative days as lawmakers are planning to depart Washington around August 7-10. If the bill misses this time period, then it would be postponed until the post-midterm lame-duck session or even 2027 due to the midterm election campaign.
This bill will divide regulatory roles between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for digital assets. This bill has already been approved by the House in 2025 and advanced through the Senate Banking Committee with a 15-9 vote in May 2026.
The bill is currently on the Senate calendar, but a floor vote has not yet been scheduled. Senator Cynthia Lummis has stated that the bill is “ready for prime time” and it could be introduced in the coming days.
However, there is still discussion around major provisions mentioned in the bill. Democrats are demanding stronger ethics rules. In their demand, they need provisions that would ban federal officials from holding or trading certain digital assets. This includes the President, Vice President, and members of Congress.
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly urged the Senate to pass the bill with the support of Senate leaders Cynthia Lummis, Tim Scott, who chairs the Banking Committee, and Majority Leader John Thune. A revised merged draft is expected to be introduced this week. The possible cloture motion or floor debate is expected to be targeted before the August recess.
