House Republicans Fail to Pass Crypto Bills Amid Internal Divisions

The U.S. House of Representatives encountered a significant impasse on Wednesday as lawmakers struggled to overcome internal party divisions during a procedural vote on H. Res. 580. This resolution was intended to set the stage for debating a legislative package that included the fiscal 2026 defense appropriations bill and three key crypto-related measures: the Clarity Act, the GENIUS Act, and the Anti-CBDC bill. The vote, which had been ongoing for over four hours, showed a count of 220 against and 209 in favor as of 5:50 p.m. ET. Republican leaders were actively engaged in efforts to secure additional support from party holdouts, underscoring the deep-seated divisions within the party.

The deadlock persisted despite President Trump's active push for the passage of the GENIUS Act, including a closed-door meeting with House Republicans the previous day. However, internal rifts within the Republican Party, particularly over the anti-CBDC provisions, complicated the situation. After meeting with Trump, some Republicans changed their votes to support the measure, hoping to include anti-CBDC provisions in the Clarity Act. This move was met with strong resistance from the authors of the Clarity Act—Reps. French Hill, Bryan Steil, and GT Thompson—who warned that modifying the bill or merging it with the GENIUS Act could jeopardize the bipartisan support it had garnered.

The procedural vote on H. Res. 580 was initially adopted on Tuesday but failed to pass, leading to a motion to reconsider the rule. This motion kept the vote open, allowing for further negotiations and attempts to secure the necessary support. The standoff underscored the broader challenges facing the House as it grapples with cryptocurrency policy, with hard-liners demanding that a bipartisan crypto bill include specific provisions. The failure to pass the vote on Tuesday, which lost 196–222, further highlighted the deep divisions within the Republican Party and the broader challenges facing the House as it navigates cryptocurrency legislation.

The situation was further complicated by the involvement of key lawmakers, such as Rep. Max Miller, who pushed for new measures and interventions. The House leadership eventually canceled votes for the remainder of the day, potentially throwing the crypto bills into limbo. This development came despite President Trump's earlier promise that a vote to approve the long-stalled bills would happen later in the day. The standoff also raised questions about the future of the GENIUS Act and other crypto-related legislation, which had been expected to pass during what House Republicans had dubbed “crypto week.”

The internal GOP disagreements over whether to fast-track individual bills or bundle them into one larger package further exacerbated the situation. The centerpiece of the House Republicans' cryptocurrency legislative push was in danger of losing Democratic support, as some Democrats expressed concerns about the proposed measures. The standoff highlighted the broader challenges facing the House as it navigates complex and contentious issues related to cryptocurrency policy. The failure to pass the vote on Tuesday and the subsequent cancellation of votes for the remainder of the day underscored the deep divisions within the Republican Party and the broader challenges facing the House as it seeks to address cryptocurrency policy.