House Clears Path for Crypto and Defense Bills After GOP Deal

Late Wednesday night, the House advanced a group of cryptocurrency bills and the 2026 defense spending package, following a tense standoff between House GOP hardliners and Republican leadership. The breakthrough came after several hours of negotiations and internal disputes.

The legislation moved forward with a 217-212 vote after conservative Republicans ended their opposition. The vote, which remained open for over nine hours, followed behind-closed-doors talks with leaders from the Financial Services and Agriculture committees — the authors of the crypto legislation.

Initially, a faction of Republican lawmakers derailed the process on Tuesday, demanding that the House combine a comprehensive crypto regulatory bill — the CLARITY Act — with a separate proposal banning the creation of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). Committee chairs Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) and Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) resisted the merger, warning it could lose Democratic backing.

A resolution was reached when GOP leaders agreed to attach the CBDC ban to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) instead. The compromise was finalized during a late-night meeting in House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office. According to two individuals with knowledge of the meeting, former President Donald Trump was informed of the agreement by phone and expressed support. “He’s happy with it,” one source said.

“This unlocks the impasse and lets us move forward,” Johnson stated afterward. He reportedly also discussed the CBDC ban’s inclusion in the NDAA with Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Wednesday.

With the procedural hurdle cleared, the House is now positioned to pass the crypto-related bills. Johnson noted that a vote on the GENIUS Act — legislation that would establish regulations for stablecoins — is expected Thursday. A vote on the CLARITY Act may be delayed until next week.

If passed, the GENIUS Act would mark the first major cryptocurrency legislation enacted by Congress and a significant win for the digital asset industry.

The vote also clears the way for the House to act on a revised package of spending rescissions sought by Trump. Meanwhile, the Senate continues working to pass that package before the Friday deadline.