Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are weighing several marijuana- and hemp-related proposals this session.
While some are comprehensive stand-alone bills and others come as amendments to larger spending packages, each could play a significant role in shaping federal cannabis policy. Below is a breakdown of the leading measures currently under consideration.
Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act
Led by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the MORE Act is the newest piece of legislation on this list. It would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act altogether, effectively ending federal prohibition. The measure also provides for expungement of prior convictions, resentencing for those incarcerated, and a federal sales tax on marijuana to fund community reinvestment and reentry programs. The bill has continued to build momentum, starting with 41 sponsors and growing to 47 less than a week later.
STATES 2.0 Act (H.R. 2934)
Filed in April by Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH), Max Miller (R-OH), and Dina Titus (D-NV), this bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act to protect individuals and businesses acting in compliance with state or tribal marijuana laws from federal prosecution. The measure also authorizes interstate commerce between legal jurisdictions, grants marijuana companies access to standard tax deductions, and requires the Attorney General to formally remove qualifying state and tribal programs from federal prohibition within 180 days. On August 8, Representative Val Hoyle (D-OR) became its sixth bipartisan cosponsor.
Veterans Equal Access Act (H.R. 1384)
Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) reintroduced this bipartisan legislation to allow Department of Veterans Affairs doctors to recommend medical marijuana in states where it is legal. The bill would override VA rules that currently ban such recommendations. A version of the policy has already been included in a military appropriations package that passed both chambers but still awaits resolution in a conference committee.
Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act (H.R. 966)
Backed by Representative Greg Steube (R-FL), this measure ensures that veterans cannot be denied VA benefits solely because of medical marijuana use consistent with state law. It also allows VA physicians to openly discuss cannabis treatment options with their patients.
Military Construction and VA Appropriations Act—Cannabis Amendment (H.R. 8580)
An amendment to the $1.5 trillion military and veterans spending bill would block the VA from enforcing its ban on physician recommendations for medical marijuana. Modeled after the Veterans Equal Access Act, it passed the House with a wide bipartisan margin and cleared the Senate, but must survive conference negotiations.
PREPARE Act (H.R. 2935)
Introduced alongside the STATES 2.0 Act, the Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult-Use Regulated Environment (PREPARE) Act would create a federal commission tasked with developing a national framework for marijuana legalization. The commission would coordinate federal and state policies to smooth the transition to a regulated national market.
Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act (H.R. 8219)
Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) are sponsoring this legislation directing the Government Accountability Office to study marijuana’s Schedule I classification. The review would examine whether current science supports its placement in the most restrictive category and assess how that designation impacts research.
No Deductions for Marijuana Businesses Act (S. 471 / H.R. 1447)
Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), along with Representative Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), introduced this bill to prevent marijuana businesses from claiming federal tax deductions—even if cannabis is rescheduled. It stands out as the only current proposal designed to tighten restrictions rather than loosen them.
House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Bill—Hemp THC Ban Amendment
Attached to a broader agriculture funding package, this amendment seeks to outlaw all hemp-derived products with detectable THC, including delta-8 and THCA items. While the House approved the measure with support from Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), it has stalled in the Senate after Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) threatened to block the overall bill.
Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced this proposal to raise the allowable THC threshold in hemp from 0.3% to 1%. It would also move testing requirements from raw plant material to final consumer products and simplify transportation rules—changes meant to ease regulatory burdens on hemp farmers and manufacturers.
Marijuana 1-to-3 Act (H.R. 4963)
Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) filed this legislation on August 12 to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, following President Donald Trump’s remarks that federal rescheduling could come soon. The move would remove IRS tax penalties under Section 280E for licensed businesses and relax some federal restrictions on marketing and research.
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