U.S. Government Shutdown Stretches to Record 36 Days, Still Risks Derailing Crypto Bill
**U.S. Government Shutdown Becomes Longest on Record Amid Political Impasse and Election Impact**
*New York* — The U.S. government shutdown has now become the longest in history, surpassing the previous 35-day record on Wednesday. Lawmakers remain deadlocked over funding the federal budget, an impasse that may be further complicated by Tuesday night’s sweeping victories for Democrats in an off-year election.
In recent days, expectations were rising that Democrats might relent on some demands and vote to fund the government as early as this week or next, even without securing concessions related to healthcare premium increases that took effect this month. However, the results of Tuesday’s election appear likely to delay any dealmaking between elected officials. Sources following the process told CoinDesk that the strong Democratic performance—surpassing polling expectations—has reinforced the stalemate.
This delay could also push back progress on crypto market structure legislation. One policy insider expressed optimism that, despite setbacks, a markup on market structure legislation might still happen by Thanksgiving. Another policy expert noted that while it is possible for Congress to pass market structure legislation, it is unlikely to happen by the end of 2025. They added, however, that the legislation could clear both houses by the end of 2026.
As CoinDesk has reported, the longer the shutdown continues, the slimmer the chances become for market structure legislation advancing in Congress. Summer Mersinger, CEO of the Blockchain Association, commented Wednesday that the extended shutdown increases the likelihood that this bill will be postponed until 2026.
A key factor contributing to the slowdown is that many government experts in this policy arena have been furloughed during the shutdown, reducing the number of personnel available to craft legislative language.
Patrick Witt, the White House’s executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, spoke at Ripple’s Swell conference on Wednesday and reaffirmed that President Donald Trump still wants to see a final market structure bill on his desk by the end of 2025.
“We’re continuing to apply pressure, having regular meetings,” Witt said. “I spend most of my time on Capitol Hill these days, meeting with Senators from both sides to get that done. I’m optimistic that we’ve seen enough progress recently to where the trend line is moving in the right direction.”
Interestingly, Witt noted that the shutdown has, in a way, helped lawmakers and stakeholders. Speaking on stage and later in an interview with CoinDesk TV, he explained that the shutdown allowed lawmakers time to meet with his team to discuss the bill’s details.
“We’ve had an opportunity to really engage with offices, staffs, and members on the substance of this bill in a way that we might not have otherwise been able to, had there been a bunch of other competing priorities,” he added.
As the government shutdown continues with no clear resolution in sight, both the federal budget and key legislative initiatives like crypto market structure reform remain in flux, underscoring the challenges facing Congress in this politically charged environment.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/crypto/u-s-government-shutdown-stretches-to-record-36-days-still-risks-derailing-crypto-bill/
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