The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the procedural rule for reviewing three major cryptocurrency-related bills following the longest recorded vote in Congressional history. The decision was enabled by a compromise within the Republican Party: a proposed ban on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) was moved into the national defense bill.
Record-Long Delay Caused by CBDC Debate
The procedural vote lasted more than nine hours, making it the longest such session ever held in the House. The final tally was 217 in favor and 212 against. Several Republicans refused to support the proceedings until they secured firm guarantees of a full ban on CBDCs. In the end, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced that the ban would be included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill that Congress traditionally passes each year.
Crypto Bills Will Be Voted Separately
As part of what Republicans are calling “crypto week,” the party aims to bring three bills to a vote:
- The CLARITY Act, focused on market structure,
- The Anti-CBDC Surveillance Act, banning a digital dollar,
- The GENIUS Act, regulating stablecoins.
Reports suggest the House may vote on the GENIUS and CLARITY bills as early as today, July 17, although Speaker Mike Johnson indicated some votes could be delayed until July 18 or the following week.
GENIUS Act Draws Criticism Over Wording
Earlier on Tuesday, a group of Republicans had already disrupted proceedings due to disagreements over the GENIUS Act. One of them, Keith Self, claimed that the bill “could open a loophole for CBDCs.” However, the text of the GENIUS Act explicitly states that it does not expand the Federal Reserve’s authority to engage directly with consumers.
The only Republican to vote against the bill alongside Democrats was Marjorie Taylor Greene.
CBDC Ban Moves to the NDAA
Republican leaders confirmed that the final compromise with internal opponents was reached by transferring anti-CBDC provisions into the NDAA. Representative Tim Burchett, who had previously voted against the rule, published a video saying he was now willing to support it after the CBDC ban was moved into the defense bill.
At the same time, Johnson and other GOP leaders emphasized that separate votes on the crypto bills were necessary to improve their chances in the Senate. According to them, combining the measures would have faced broader resistance.
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