Overview
Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) is the Senate sponsor of the GENIUS Act and the author of the “Hagerty Amendment” — the substitute amendment that materially changed the bill before the Senate floor vote and final passage. He is a key figure in the Republican crypto agenda in the Senate alongside Cynthia Lummis.
Key Facts
- U.S. Senator from Tennessee; Republican.
- Primary Senate sponsor of the GENIUS Act (S.1582).
- Authored the Hagerty Amendment — a substitute amendment that modified the GENIUS Act Banking Committee version before Senate floor vote.
- Senate passed GENIUS Act 68-30 (June 17, 2025); Hagerty’s version went to Trump for signature.
- Works in concert with Senator Lummis on crypto legislative agenda.
Newsletter Relevance
Hagerty is the legislative architect of stablecoin regulation. The Hagerty Amendment’s specific changes (detailed in the JD Supra legal update) shaped the final law that was signed — understanding what changed between the Banking Committee version and the final law tells you who had leverage in the Senate negotiations.
Connections
- GENIUS Act — primary Senate sponsor
- Cynthia Lummis — Senate crypto colleague
- Donald Trump — legislation aligned with Trump crypto agenda
Source Appearances
- GENIUS Act Signed into Law — JD Supra — Hagerty Amendment identified as key change to final law
- GENIUS Act Establishes 100% Reserve Backing for Stablecoins — cited as key Senate figure
- House Announces Crypto Week July 14 — Financial Services Committee — quoted: “I look forward to enacting the GENIUS act into law, and to working with my colleagues to move the CLARITY act through the Senate in short order”
- Ending the Era of Uncertainty — House Agriculture Committee Op-Ed — credited as sponsor of bipartisan GENIUS Act
- Congress Advances Crypto Bills — StratNews Global — GENIUS Act credited to Hagerty with bipartisan Senate support
Open Questions
- What specific changes did the Hagerty Amendment make to the Banking Committee’s GENIUS Act version?
- Is Hagerty independently crypto-aligned, or primarily responding to industry constituent pressure from Tennessee fintech?