In a surprising turn of events, Senator Cynthia Lummis has thrown her support on cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase’s bid to dismiss the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) complaint. The move highlights Lummis’ active role in crypto asset policy and her push for congressional oversight in this emerging sector.

A key proponent of the bicameral Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act, Senator Lummis, has submitted an amicus brief in favor of Coinbase. She claims in her statement that the SEC is not explicitly authorized to oversee digital assets. The senator is adamant that Congress, not the SEC, should be in charge of deciding what regulations apply to cryptocurrency.

Lummis contends that the SEC’s sweeping claim that almost all crypto assets qualify as securities goes beyond the agency’s authority and violates the constitutionally mandated separation of powers. Lummis criticizes this approach, frequently referred to as “regulation-by-enforcement,” and stresses that the SEC must not circumvent the legislative process.

Senator Lummis, who is an amicus curiae, sits on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, which has authority over both the SEC and crypto assets.

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Others Join Forces In Support

Notably, Senator Lummis is aligned with other powerful figures in the crypto advocacy scene. Prominent organizations have banded together to express their disapproval of the SEC’s regulatory approach, including the Blockchain Association, the Crypto Council for Innovation, the Chamber of Progress, and the Consumer Tech Association. This joint submission, made on August 11, highlights the common concerns about the effects of the SEC’s strategy on the cryptocurrency sector.

Senator Lummis’s engagement in this legal dispute gives the ongoing discussion over cryptocurrency regulation a new perspective. Her stance highlights the necessity of a well-balanced regulatory framework that is molded by congressional debate rather than agency decisions taken on their own. The cryptocurrency community is closely following the court procedures with heightened interest as they progress, anticipating a decision that may have enormous ramifications for the future of the sector.

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