Senator Cynthia Lummis walked off the Bitcoin conference 2026 stage on Sunday, having delivered the clearest public commitment yet on the Clarity Act’s timeline.
“We are going to mark up the Clarity Act in May,” Lummis told the crowd. “We are going to get it to the finish line. We are going to have the market structure that allows us to innovate, you innovate, America to lead the world on this freedom asset.”
For the unversed, a May markup would set the Clarity Act on a path toward a Senate floor vote in June, which aligns with the timeline Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz outlined last week when he predicted President Trump could sign the bill into law before summer.
From Early Doubt to Strong Conviction
Lummis shared that her journey with Bitcoin began in 2013, when she first bought 3 BTC at around $300 each. She admitted the idea initially felt unusual, saying owning a digital asset on a blockchain “sounded a little strange.” But over time, deeper exposure to the ecosystem completely changed her perspective.
“As I learned more, I realized this is a unique asset, freedom money,” she said.
Fighting Early Policy Battles
Once in the Senate, Lummis found herself at the center of early crypto regulation debates. One major issue was the IRS attempting to classify developers and miners as brokers.
She called the move “absurd and ridiculous,” explaining that it misunderstood how decentralized systems work.
What changed the tide was industry response. According to Lummis, the crypto community stepped in forcefully, helping lawmakers understand the difference between infrastructure builders and financial intermediaries.
At that moment, she said, it marked a turning point in shaping more informed crypto policy in Washington.
Bitcoin as “Freedom Money”
Lummis repeatedly described Bitcoin as more than just an investment. She framed it as a tool for financial independence.
“It’s an asset you can carry anywhere, transfer cheaply, and hold yourself,” she explained.
She pointed to real-world use cases, from people sending funds across war zones to individuals leaving difficult situations with their wealth intact, as proof of Bitcoin’s real utility.
With a fixed supply of 21 million coins, she also highlighted its built-in scarcity as a long-term value driver.
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