CLARITY Act Gains Momentum as Sheriffs Drop Opposition Ahead of Senate Vote

By CoinAINews Staff

September 4, 2026

The U.S. crypto market structure bill known as the CLARITY Act has picked up fresh momentum ahead of a crucial Senate vote, after two developments put the legislation back in focus in Washington.

House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill said Senate Majority Leader John Thune could have the votes needed to move the legislation forward. At the same time, the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) is dropping its opposition to the bill and moving to a neutral position.

The developments come less than two weeks before the Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote on September 15. That vote will be an important test for the bill, but it will not be the final vote to pass the CLARITY Act into law.

French Hill Says John Thune Could Have the Votes

In an interview with Fox Business, French Hill, who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, expressed optimism about the Senate's ability to advance the CLARITY Act.

Hill said Thune could have enough support to move the legislation forward, pointing to the September 15 Senate vote as a key moment for the bill.

The comments were highlighted by CoinMarketCap after Hill discussed the legislation and the Senate's upcoming procedural step. Hill has been one of the prominent congressional supporters of establishing a federal framework for digital assets.

His comments are significant because the biggest question facing the CLARITY Act is no longer whether the bill has enough support to remain alive, but whether Senate negotiators can assemble the bipartisan coalition needed to clear the chamber's procedural threshold.

National Sheriffs’ Association Moves From Opposition to Neutral

The second major development came from the law-enforcement community.

The National Sheriffs’ Association is dropping its opposition to the CLARITY Act and changing its position to neutral, according to a September 4 report by Semafor.

The organization had previously raised concerns about the bill's potential impact on law enforcement, particularly provisions dealing with decentralized finance and the treatment of certain blockchain developers and infrastructure providers.

According to Semafor, the NSA's planned letter to lawmakers says the group is stepping back because of the complexity of the legislation and the number of important details that remain under consideration. The organization said it believes the appropriate course is to allow the legislative process to continue.

The distinction is important: neutral does not mean the National Sheriffs’ Association is endorsing the CLARITY Act. Instead, the group is withdrawing its opposition while lawmakers continue negotiating the legislation.

Why the Sheriffs’ Position Matters

Law-enforcement concerns have been one of the issues surrounding the CLARITY Act's path through Congress.

The National Sheriffs’ Association had argued that parts of the bill could create difficulties for authorities investigating illicit finance involving digital assets. The debate has focused heavily on provisions dealing with decentralized finance and non-custodial software developers.

The Blockchain Association previously pushed back against those concerns, arguing that the CLARITY Act does not create a broad exemption from anti-money-laundering and sanctions requirements for regulated intermediaries.

The dispute illustrates one of the central challenges facing the legislation: lawmakers are trying to create clearer rules for the digital asset industry without weakening the government's ability to investigate fraud, money laundering and other financial crimes.

The NSA's decision to move from opposition to neutrality therefore removes one source of organized resistance, although it does not resolve all of the remaining disagreements surrounding the bill.

September 15 Vote Is a Procedural Test, Not Final Passage

One point is especially important for readers following the latest headlines: the Senate's September 15 vote should not be described as the final CLARITY Act passage vote.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed a cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the legislation before the August recess. The Senate is scheduled to consider that procedural step on September 15.

The motion requires 60 votes to overcome the procedural hurdle and allow the Senate to formally move forward with consideration of the legislation.

If the motion succeeds, senators would still need to debate the bill, consider amendments and eventually hold a separate vote on final passage.

If the procedural vote fails to reach the required threshold, the bill's prospects for advancing during the current congressional session could become significantly more difficult.

CLARITY Act Has Already Cleared Major Hurdles

The legislation is formally known as the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, H.R. 3633. It is designed to establish a broader federal regulatory framework for digital assets and clarify the respective roles of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The House of Representatives passed its version of the CLARITY Act in July 2025 by a bipartisan vote of 294-134. The measure received support from 78 Democrats at that stage.

The bill later cleared another important hurdle in the Senate. The Senate Banking Committee advanced the legislation on May 14, 2026, by a 15-9 vote, with two Democrats joining Republicans in supporting the measure.

However, those committee-level developments did not guarantee support for the bill on the Senate floor. Negotiations have continued over several issues, including ethics provisions, stablecoin rewards and the treatment of decentralized finance.

DeFi and Law Enforcement Remain Important Issues

One of the more closely watched parts of the legislation concerns decentralized finance.

The bill attempts to distinguish between financial intermediaries that exercise control over customer assets and developers or infrastructure providers that create non-custodial software without controlling users' funds.

That distinction has generated debate between the crypto industry and law-enforcement organizations.

Crypto industry representatives argue that software developers who do not control customer assets should not automatically be treated like financial intermediaries. Law-enforcement groups have been more concerned about whether bad actors could exploit those distinctions to avoid regulatory or investigative requirements.

The Blockchain Association previously argued that regulated exchanges, brokers and dealers would still face anti-money-laundering, customer-identification and sanctions obligations under the proposed framework.

The disagreement has made the final wording of the legislation particularly important as senators work toward a floor vote.

Ethics Debate Could Still Complicate the Bill

Even with the NSA stepping back from its opposition, other political disagreements remain.

One of the most difficult issues involves restrictions related to government officials and digital assets. Democratic senators have pushed for stronger ethics provisions, including restrictions designed to address concerns about government officials benefiting financially from crypto ventures.

These negotiations have contributed to delays in bringing the CLARITY Act to the Senate floor.

As a result, Hill's assessment that Thune could have the votes should be viewed as an indication of optimism rather than confirmation that the legislation has secured the 60 votes it needs.

What Happens If the September 15 Vote Succeeds?

If the Senate reaches the 60-vote threshold on September 15, the CLARITY Act would move into a more formal phase of Senate consideration.

That would allow senators to debate the legislation and potentially negotiate or vote on amendments before a final Senate vote.

Even a successful Senate passage would not immediately turn the CLARITY Act into law. If the Senate version differs from the legislation previously approved by the House, lawmakers would need to resolve those differences before the final legislation could reach the president.

In other words, September 15 is potentially a major turning point, but it is only one step in a longer legislative process.

What the Latest Developments Mean for Crypto

The combination of Hill's comments and the NSA's policy shift gives supporters of the CLARITY Act a more favorable backdrop heading into the September vote.

Hill's remarks suggest that Senate leadership believes a path toward the necessary votes may exist. Meanwhile, the NSA's move from opposition to neutrality removes one law-enforcement objection that had complicated the political debate.

But neither development guarantees passage.

The legislation still needs to overcome the Senate's 60-vote procedural threshold, survive debate and amendments, and ultimately secure enough votes for final passage. Differences between the House and Senate versions could also create another hurdle later in the process.

For the crypto industry, the importance of the bill is tied to the possibility of replacing years of regulatory uncertainty with clearer federal rules governing digital assets and the responsibilities of the SEC and CFTC.

For lawmakers, however, the remaining negotiations will determine how much regulatory clarity can be provided without weakening investor protections, financial-crime enforcement or other policy safeguards.

Bottom Line

The CLARITY Act enters September with a fresh political boost.

French Hill says Senate Majority Leader John Thune could have the votes needed to move the legislation forward, while the National Sheriffs’ Association is stepping away from its previous opposition and adopting a neutral position.

Those developments are meaningful ahead of the September 15 Senate procedural vote, but they should not be interpreted as confirmation that the bill will pass.

The next major test is whether supporters can secure the required 60 votes to advance the legislation. If they do, the CLARITY Act would still face debate, amendments and a separate final passage vote before it could move any closer to becoming U.S. law.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CLARITY Act?

The CLARITY Act, formally H.R. 3633, is proposed U.S. legislation designed to establish a federal regulatory framework for digital assets and clarify the roles of the SEC and CFTC.

What did French Hill say about the CLARITY Act?

House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill said Senate Majority Leader John Thune could have the votes needed to move the CLARITY Act forward.

What changed with the National Sheriffs’ Association?

The National Sheriffs’ Association is dropping its opposition to the CLARITY Act and moving to a neutral position, according to a September 4 Semafor report.

Does neutral mean the sheriffs support the CLARITY Act?

No. A neutral position is not an endorsement. The NSA is stepping back from its opposition while lawmakers continue considering the legislation.

When is the next major Senate vote on the CLARITY Act?

The Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote related to advancing the CLARITY Act on September 15, 2026.

Does the September 15 vote mean the CLARITY Act will become law?

No. The September 15 vote is a procedural cloture vote on the motion to proceed. It is not the final vote on whether the bill becomes law.

How many Senate votes are needed for the procedural hurdle?

The cloture vote requires 60 votes to advance the legislation past the procedural hurdle.

Has the CLARITY Act already passed the House?

Yes. The House passed its version of the legislation in July 2025 by a bipartisan 294-134 vote.

Has the Senate Banking Committee approved the bill?

Yes. The Senate Banking Committee advanced the legislation by a 15-9 vote on May 14, 2026.

What happens if the Senate advances the CLARITY Act?

The Senate would proceed to debate and consideration of amendments before a separate final passage vote. If the Senate passes a version that differs from the House version, lawmakers would also need to resolve those differences before the bill could reach the president.

Sources

• Semafor – National Sheriffs’ Association changes CLARITY Act position
• Crypto Times – French Hill and the September 15 Senate vote
• Reuters – U.S. Senate CLARITY Act developments
• Reuters – Senate Banking Committee advances CLARITY Act
• The Block – Law-enforcement concerns and DeFi provisions

Editorial Note: This article distinguishes between a procedural Senate vote and final passage. The National Sheriffs’ Association's move to neutral is reported as a withdrawal of opposition, not an endorsement of the CLARITY Act.