House Majority Whip Tom Emmer Defends Crypto Developer Protections in Clarity Act

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said concerns from law enforcement groups about crypto developer protections in the Clarity Act are overstated. Emmer spoke on CoinDesk's The Policy Protocol. He said the Senate Banking Committee's 15-9 vote advancing the bill shows momentum despite uncertainty in Washington.

Emmer pointed to the House's years of work refining crypto market structure legislation. He described the Clarity Act as the fifth or sixth iteration of that effort.

Emmer said lawmakers aim to create clear distinctions between digital assets regulated as securities, commodities, or cash equivalents. He predicted Congress would send the legislation to President Trump's desk. Emmer defended the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, which would shield some noncustodial software developers from money transmitter rules.

Law enforcement groups have raised concerns that the provision could weaken oversight or hamper investigations involving decentralized finance tools. Emmer called those objections a red herring aimed at slowing the broader Clarity Act. He argued developers who do not custody customer funds should not be treated as money transmitters.

Emmer said inconsistent state-by-state treatment of blockchain software developers is creating legal uncertainty for innovators.

U.S. needs clearer crypto rules to remain competitive globally. U.S. but need to understand the rules of the road. Emmer criticized former SEC Chair Gary Gensler's enforcement approach under the Biden administration. He said the Clarity Act is designed to establish clearer distinctions between assets regulated by the SEC and the CFTC.

U.S. regulatory framework. He said Republicans and Democrats agree on this issue despite ongoing Senate negotiations. Emmer said he favors light touch regulation and less authority for federal agencies. He said Congress should focus on consumer protections and preventing fraud.