Interview: Senator Cynthia Lummis Is Optimistic About Digital Assets In Congress This Year

Senator Cynthia Lummis

As Congress picks up speed this month in spite of election year hurdles, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R, WY) has been busy thinking about – and working on – next steps for digital assets legislation among the many initiatives and responsibilities she and her team oversee.

Her “Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act” [S.2281] has been been a key, proposed framework for digital assets in the Senate and Congress.

The bill, first introduced in the 117th Congress, and updated for the 118th, is a comprehensive, digital assets regulatory framework co-sponsored by New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Lummis-Gillibrand,” as it is known, appears to have weathered the buffeting winds of FTX, a bear market, Congressional skepticism and the seemingly recalcitrant Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – to name a few.

Senator Lummis sat down with blockchain tipsheet at the Capitol today to discuss all things digital assets and Congress including:

    • The Bitcoin ETF watershed moment
    • State of digital assets legislation today
    • Lummis-Gillibrand and funding regulation with “wash sale” rule
    • Stablecoin bill update
    • Reflections on the NDAA digital assets AML amendment
    • Binance, Tether and illicit finance
    • SAB 121 and next steps

The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

blockchain tipsheet: Is the approval of Bitcoin spot market ETF’s a watershed moment for digital assets?

Senator Cynthia Lummis: I think it’s important because it gives consumers who are not ready to dive in with both feet – who are not ready to self-custody – exposure to Bitcoin through an exchange-traded fund, which is a very well known vehicle to get exposure to valuable assets.

It’s important for consumer assurance that this is an asset worth holding in a diverse asset allocation and that now they can have exposure to it without having to be an expert. [It also] helps integrate Bitcoin into the traditional asset management world. So, I do think it’s a watershed moment. Continue reading “Interview: Senator Cynthia Lummis Is Optimistic About Digital Assets In Congress This Year”