Who?
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) — Ranking Member, House Financial Services Committee
Ask a Pol asked:
Any update on your crypto bill with Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry (R-NC)?
Key Waters:
“We gotta do something before the end of the year. We’re close,” Waters tells Ask a Pol. “I’m very optimistic, yes.”
Caught our ear:
“I insist that the Federal Reserve be in it like any other central bank that has cryptocurrency. Your central bank has got to be involved,” Waters says.
ICYMI: Gillibrand & Lummis waiting on House
LISTEN: Laslo & Waters
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Maxine Waters
SCENE: Waters just finished a press conference outside the US Capitol at the House Triangle and is walking with a couple staffers as a troll rolls up on her recording video and shouting questions over our conversation.
Duder with camera: “Congresswoman will you apologize…”
Matt Laslo: “Congresswoman, I was wondering if there’s any update on your crypto bill with McHenry?”
Maxine Waters: “Yes, it is. We’re gonna do — uhh.”
Duder with camera: “Congresswoman will you apologize…”
ML: “She’s talking to me!”
MW: “We gotta do something — we gotta do something before the end of the year. We’re close. We’re close.”
ML: “What are the sticking points now?”
MW: “Stablecoin.”
ML: “Yeah, the stablecoin measure.”
MW: “Yes. Yes.”
ML: “I heard that how much power the Federal Reserve has is kind of a main sticking point.”
MW: “Well, I insist that the Federal Reserve be in it like every other central bank that has cryptocurrency. Your central bank has got to be involved.”
ML: “Yeah?”
MW: “Yeah.”
ML: “You’re optimistic we’re gonna see something?”
MW: “Say what?”
ML: “You’re optimistic we’re gonna see something by the end of the year?”
MW: “Yeah, I am. I’m very optimistic, yes. Thank you.”
ML: “I’ll be watching. Thank you, ma’am.”
MW: “You’re welcome.”
Duder with camera: “You don’t wanna apologize?”
ML: “She might comment if didn’t shout over. Jackass.”
Matt Laslo covers tech politics for WIRED, lectures on technology’s impact on government at Johns Hopkins and is the founder of Ask a Pol — a new people-powered press corps. @MattLaslo / @AskaPol_crypto
Ask a Pol — asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol.
Rep. Maxine Waters on stablecoin sticking point: "Your central bank has got to be involved"