The Senate’s failure to pass the CLARITY Act exposes just how flawed the U.S. legislative process has become — and the 67 million Americans who own cryptocurrency are running out of patience.

After months of negotiation and broad support from both parties and the Trump administration, a bill that had already cleared the House with bipartisan support died in the Senate. With Congress heading home for the midterm elections, the message to consumers, entrepreneurs, and the developers building the next generation of financial infrastructure is unmistakable: Congress would rather punt than lead.