A bipartisan trio of House lawmakers — Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL), Dave Joyce (R-OH), and Dina Titus (D-NV) — has filed an amendment to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that would bar the VA from enforcing Veterans Health Directive 1315, which currently prohibits VA providers from completing forms or registering veterans for state medical cannabis programs.
Under existing policy, VA doctors may discuss marijuana with patients but cannot assist with state program enrollment, forcing veterans to seek outside providers at additional expense. The amendment, offered by the co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, would defund enforcement of those restrictions. The House Rules Committee is expected to decide next week which submitted amendments advance to floor votes.
The amendment text bars appropriated funds from enforcing provisions that prohibit VHA providers from "completing forms or registering Veterans for participation in a State-approved marijuana program" or from "recommending, making referrals to or completing paperwork for Veteran participation in State marijuana programs."
Both chambers have passed similar language in prior years, but it has never been enacted. When last year's version was stripped from the final bill sent to President Donald Trump, Mast called the omission "ridiculous" and said: "It was a great and easy opportunity to do so, and a sensical thing to move forward—and detrimental to veterans to not do so."
The new push follows the Trump administration's rescheduling of medical marijuana under federal law, a development advocates believe could improve the amendment's prospects.
A separate amendment from Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI), co-chairs of the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus, would adjust the VA's Medical and Prosthetic Research account to highlight work on oncology, traumatic brain injury care, psychedelic therapies, and assistive devices.
Elsewhere, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies last week approved legislation containing provisions to block further federal cannabis rescheduling steps. The House Appropriations Committee passed a separate bill and report expressing concern over health risks from cannabis-derived products while encouraging psychedelics research. The full House also passed a Farm Bill with hemp industry provisions but without a delay to the scheduled federal recriminalization of hemp THC products. The Congressional Research Service released a report on the scope and limitations of the rescheduling action.
