CoinGape published an article about statements by Mark Esper, former U.S. Secretary of Defense (2019–2020), who described the CLARITY Act (the bill H.R. 3633) not as just a financial services law, but as a "national security law."
### Key Background
- Esper is currently a member of the Global Advisory Board of Coinbase, and wrote an opinion piece for the Financial Times.
- It emphasizes that China and networks subject to sanctions are reaping daily gains as long as the United States delays setting clear rules for the digital-asset market.
- It argues that American economic power has long depended on the dollar and its connected payment systems. If digital-asset activity moves to offshore platforms with weaker rules, Washington loses visibility, sanctions become less effective, and rivals such as China can write the standards for the next global financial system.
### Legislative situation
- The House passed the bill by a margin of 294 votes to 134 in July 2025.
- In the Senate Banking Committee, progress was made with a vote of 15 to 9 in May 2026, with two Democrats joining.
- Identify the Majority Leader in the Senate, John Thune, and the cloture (procedural closure requiring 60 votes) vote date will be held on 15 September.
- Coinbase official Farriar Shirzad confirmed that this date is the first real test of whether there is enough support.
### Importance of the vote and market expectations
Focusing on national security helps broaden the support base among Senate members who might hesitate to back a bill related to digital currencies for other reasons. Markets are closely watching the date, as the CLARITY timeline is reflected in Bitcoin and XRP prices and the shares of companies tied to the sector (such as Circle).
However, challenges remain:
- The need for 60 votes (Republicans alone are not enough).
- Disagreements about ethical limits on officials’ holdings of digital currencies.
- Banks are pressuring on rules governing stablecoin yields.
- Gaps in the design of anti–money laundering measures.
Galaxy Research cut the odds of the bill’s passage in 2026 to just 10% due to these obstacles and pressure from banks. If the vote fails in September, the situation could remain in regulatory chaos for at least until 2027, relying on agency rules (such as the CFTC), which are less stable than a permanent legislative law.
The U.S. administration tried to build momentum through a digital-asset summit at the White House that brought the President together with the heads of the SEC and CFTC, reaffirming its commitment to passing the measure in September.
Bottom line: The September 15 vote has become the most important date in digital-asset policy right now, and Espar has given it a geopolitical dimension that ties it to U.S. national security rather than just financial regulation.