More than 160 former U.S. national-security, intelligence and law-enforcement officials this week urged the Senate to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act — known as the CLARITY Act — casting the legislation as a national-security upgrade rather than a favor to the crypto industry. The letter, organized by the Blockchain Association, brings heavy-hitting bipartisan credibility to a bill that has lingered on Capitol Hill.
Who signed
The signatories include former directors of the CIA and FBI, past Secretaries of Homeland Security, and retired generals and admirals. Their collective argument: clear rules for digital assets will help authorities track illicit finance, strengthen sanctions enforcement, and reduce regulatory gaps that foreign adversaries exploit. The letter doesn’t mince words — it frames regulatory ambiguity as a vulnerability.
Why the national-security framing matters
By stepping away from industry talking points, the signers aim to shift the debate. The CLARITY Act has been pitched mostly as a market-structure bill. This letter reframes it as a tool for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to do their jobs better. The timing matters. With the Senate weighing multiple crypto bills this session, a security-first argument could break the logjam.
What happens next
The Senate Banking Committee has not yet scheduled a markup for the CLARITY Act. The letter adds pressure from an unexpected quarter — people who spent careers chasing terrorists and spies, not blockchain deals. Whether that’s enough to move the needle is the open question. Lawmakers will return from recess next week.
