The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a spending bill that would continue protecting state medical marijuana programs from federal intervention—while excluding a provision that previously advanced to block the Justice Department from rescheduling cannabis.
Following bicameral negotiations on the appropriations package, the House advanced it in a 397-28 vote on Thursday, sending it to the Senate for consideration.
Advocates and industry stakeholders were encouraged to see the rescheduling language stripped from the final deal after it had been approved by the House Appropriations Committee last year, as well as the preservation of a longstanding rider preventing DOJ from using its funds to interfere in state medical marijuana laws.