“Our Staffs Are Exhausted”: Senator Lummis Pushes for Crypto Market Structure Markup Next Week

Senator Cynthia Lummis is once again turning up the pressure in Washington, pushing to move the long-delayed crypto market structure bill closer to a full committee markup. But this time, her message is blunt: Congress is running out of time—and so are the people working behind the scenes.

Speaking to reporters, Lummis acknowledged something few lawmakers say publicly: the teams drafting, revising, and negotiating the bill are “exhausted.” Months of back-and-forth with the White House, Treasury, the SEC, and the CFTC have created a legislative maze, with every section of the bill requiring technical, legal, and political alignment. Even so, she insists that the markup must happen next week if the U.S. wants any chance of establishing guardrails for crypto before the 2026 cycle intensifies.

The urgency is real. After a turbulent year of exchange failures, ETF approvals, enforcement battles, and international competitors racing ahead, Lummis argues the U.S. can’t afford another multi-year delay. A markup doesn’t guarantee passage—but it signals progress, allowing lawmakers to debate final language publicly.

Behind the exhaustion is a clear message: crypto regulation is no longer optional. And if Lummis has her way, the next week could finally push the U.S. closer to a functional, future-proof framework for digital assets.