AARP backs Clarity Act Section 205

AARP told Senate Banking Committee leaders on May 13 that it supports Section 205 of the CLARITY Act, a provision it said would help curb fraud tied to cryptocurrency kiosks that has hit older Americans especially hard. The group’s letter, addressed to Chairman Tim Scott and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, said the measure should remain in the bill during committee consideration and later stages of the legislative process. (cryptotimes.io) Emily Wilkins posted the letter on X on May 13, bringing public attention to AARP’s position. The bill at issue is H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, which Congress.gov shows was received in the Senate on September 18, 2025 and referred to the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. (congress.gov) ### What exactly did AARP back in the bill? Section 205 of H.R. 3633 is titled “Mature blockchain system requirements,” according to the bill text on Congress.gov. AARP’s May 13 letter, as described in the public reporting and the letter excerpt shared online, tied that section to consumer protections aimed at cryptocurrency kiosk fraud. AARP said the section would require operators of cryptocurrency kiosks — often called crypto ATMs — to register with the U.S. Treasury as money transmitters, according to the letter described in reporting on May 14. The group also said the provision preserves states’ authority to impose stronger consumer protections, which AARP called important as more states move to regulate or ban the machines. (cryptotimes.io) ### Why is AARP focused on crypto kiosks? AARP has spent the past year pressing for safeguards around crypto kiosks, which it says are increasingly used in scams involving extortion, tech support impersonation, government impersonation and investment schemes. (congress.gov) In those cases, victims are told to withdraw cash and feed it into a kiosk, sending cryptocurrency to a wallet controlled by the scammer. The FBI data cited by AARP show the scale of the problem. AARP said crypto kiosks were used in scams that generated more than 13,460 complaints and more than $389 million in reported losses in 2025. In cases where the victim’s age was known, adults 60 and older accounted for 86% of reported losses, AARP said, citing FBI data. (cryptotimes.io) ### How does this fit with AARP’s broader campaign? AARP has backed state-level efforts to tighten rules on crypto kiosks and has argued that federal action should not block tougher state standards. Its advocacy page updated April 28 said states have added transaction limits, warnings, licensing requirements and, in some cases, outright bans. (aarp.org) AARP said Indiana became the first state in 2026 to ban the machines statewide. AARP Research published a survey on April 7 showing political support for tougher rules among older adults. The group said 92% of adults age 50 and older viewed laws protecting consumers from crypto-kiosk fraud as important, and 7 in 10 said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who backs such laws. (aarp.org) ### What does the endorsement add to the Senate debate? AARP represents Americans age 50 and older and has made fraud prevention a core issue in its advocacy work. Its support gives Section 205 backing from a national consumer group that has been collecting survey data, promoting state legislation and publishing fraud case studies tied to crypto kiosks. (aarp.org) The endorsement also puts the group directly into a debate otherwise dominated by market-structure questions about how digital assets should be regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. A Congressional Research Service overview says the CLARITY Act is designed to reshape oversight of digital commodities and related intermediaries. (aarp.org) ### What happens next in Congress? H.R. 3633 was referred to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee after reaching the Senate on September 18, 2025, according to Congress.gov. AARP said in its May 13 letter that it wants Section 205 preserved during committee markup and throughout the rest of the legislative process. (cryptotimes.io) The next concrete step is Senate committee action on the bill or on any revised text that carries Section 205 forward. Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren were the named recipients of AARP’s letter, and their committee is the venue AARP identified for the provision’s next stage. (cryptotimes.io) (congress.gov 1) (congress.gov 2)