Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

White House backs senators pushing for stricter crypto reporting rules, pushing the new-tech community outside to innovative friendly countries

White House backs senators pushing for stricter crypto reporting rules, pushing the new-tech community outside to innovative friendly countries

The White House weighed in – somewhat out of the blue – on a contentious battle over competing crypto amendments to the $1 trillion infrastructure bill. It's chosen to back the side that isn't as friendly to the world of bitcoin and ethereum.
The fight is over a provision in the bipartisan bill, which raises money through stricter tax rules on cryptocurrency transactions. Crypto advocates argued that the original language in the legislation, which requires brokers of digital assets to report on crypto trading gains, is vague and too broad. And now, amendments are circulating in order to narrow the scope.

On Wednesday, Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. introduced an amendment that drills down on the definition of a "broker," explicitly excluding validators, hardware and software makers as well as protocol developers. It would be a win for the crypto caucus, should it pass.

In the other camp sits Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio – who drafted the original tax provision – along with Mark Warner, D-Va. and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz. They submitted their own rival amendment on Thursday. CNBC does not have a copy of the proposed Portman-Warner amendment.

But based on prior revisions described by Portman, some believe it will leave the door open to a broader definition of "crypto broker" and will potentially subject more crypto investors to these higher taxes.

No one was expecting President Joe Biden to volunteer his take on this one, but late Thursday, the White House formally backed Portman's amendment in a statement attributed to deputy press secretary Andrew Bates.

"The Administration is pleased with the progress that has yielded a compromise sponsored by Senators Warner, Portman, and Sinema to advance the bipartisan infrastructure package and clarify the measure to reduce tax evasion in the cryptocurrency market," wrote Bates.

"The Administration believes this provision will strengthen tax compliance in this emerging area of finance and ensure that high income taxpayers are contributing what they owe under the law. We are grateful to Chairman Wyden for his leadership in pushing the Senate to address this issue, however we believe that the alternative amendment put forward by Senators Warner, Portman, and Sinema strikes the right balance and makes an important step forward in promoting tax compliance."

The last-minute endorsement of the Portman amendment was unexpected but not surprising.

Since its inception, the White House's vision for the infrastructure bill has been one in which corporations and the wealthiest Americans would fund improvements that benefitted everyone.

But Senate Republicans have a different idea, and over the past three months, they have cut tax hikes out of the bill one by one.

The crypto reporting rules and their related taxes represent the last vestiges of the corporate tax hikes that were supposed to pay for the bill.

Should the Portman camp win, Blockchain Association executive director Kristin Smith warns the ramifications will be sweeping and massively damaging to the country's crypto industry.

"At the eleventh hour, Sen. Warner has filed an amendment that is anti-technology and anti-innovation – and would be disastrous for the U.S. crypto ecosystem," wrote Smith.

"Removing protections for software developers – what Senator Warner's amendment aims to do and that is defined in the Wyden-Lummis-Toomey amendment – is a negative catalyst that will force crypto development and innovation out of the U.S. to friendlier, pro-technology jurisdictions," continued Smith.

The blowback to the White House's endorsement of the Portman-led amendment has been swift and harsh. Wyden, a liberal Democrat, and Lummis, a conservative Republican, have both pushed back, with Lummis issuing a direct call to action.

"We NEED you," tweeted Lummis. "Pls call your Senators. Pls tweet. Pls email. We are facing major headwinds on the Wyden-Lummis-Toomey amendment. Burying financial innovation in red tape & sending devs + miners on info collection wild goose chases for info they don't know is horrible policy."

The Senate plans to vote Saturday on the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
×