**[American Federation of Teachers Sends Letter to Senate Opposing the "Crypto Market Structure Bill" Introducing Digital Assets into Pensions]** BlockBeats News, December 10 – On Monday, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) submitted a petition to the U.S. Senate, urging the withdrawal of the Crypto Market Structure Bill, warning that the proposal poses "grave risks" to pensions and the broader U.S. economy. In the letter, first obtained by CNBC, the union organization pointed out that the *Responsible Financial Innovation Act* fails to establish adequate regulatory safeguards against the inherent risks of cryptocurrency assets and stablecoins. AFT President Randi Weingarten wrote in the letter: "This bill not only fails to provide the urgently needed regulatory measures and common-sense protections but also exposes working families—those currently unconnected to cryptocurrencies—to economic risks and threatens the stability of their retirement security." The union, which represents 1.8 million members, stated in the letter that its "fundamental mission" is to maintain a stable and reliable pension system for retired workers. The primary reason for opposing the bill is concern that it could pave the way for digital assets to enter retirement investment portfolios, including AFT pensions. Weingarten emphasized that a key concern is that the bill might allow non-crypto companies to tokenize equities via blockchain, thereby circumventing existing securities law regulations. She noted that this could bypass requirements for registration, disclosure, and intermediary oversight, weakening investor protection mechanisms and regulatory accountability. Weingarten stated: "This loophole and the erosion of traditional securities laws will have catastrophic consequences: even if pensions and 401(k) plans invest in traditional securities, they could ultimately end up holding unsafe assets." Beyond retirement pensions, the letter also highlighted the bill's insufficient regulatory measures against illegal activities in the crypto market, warning that its vulnerabilities could lay the groundwork for "the next financial crisis."