U.S. Representative Dina Titus is advocating for cannabis banking reform, improved access to medical marijuana for veterans, and expanded research opportunities as top priorities for the 119th Congress.
These initiatives echo long-standing efforts that have yet to cross the legislative finish line, Titus acknowledged in an interview with MJBizDaily.
Titus, a Nevada Democrat and newly appointed co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, has partnered with Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar in this leadership role. Speaking with MJBizDaily shortly after Congress reconvened, she outlined her hopes for legislative action in a session dominated by new members and the return of Donald Trump to the presidency.
Titus anticipates the reintroduction of several key bills in the coming months:
- The SAFER Banking Act, which has passed the House multiple times but stalled in the Senate.
- The Veterans Equal Access Act, which could pave the way for veterans to access medical marijuana through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- The Higher Education Marijuana Research Act, designed to enable colleges and universities to conduct cannabis research in compliance with state or tribal laws.
While these measures are modest compared to nationwide legalization, they represent critical steps toward aligning federal policy with state-level marijuana reforms, and they are efforts that Titus believe are politically viable in the current climate.
Despite growing bipartisan support, federal marijuana reform remains an uphill battle. Congress has only passed one standalone marijuana-related law to date: the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act in 2022. Efforts to advance broader reforms, such as the SAFER Banking Act, have consistently faltered.
Titus noted that Republican leadership in the House has not prioritized marijuana reform, and skepticism about legalization persists in the Senate. Former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declined to advance the SAFER Banking Act for a full vote in 2023 or 2024, despite it passing the Senate Banking Committee in September 2023 with a bipartisan vote.
“Getting out of the House is always easier than the Senate,” Titus told MJBizDaily. She expressed cautious optimism about senators like Jim Banks, R-Indiana, who supported banking reform while in the House despite representing a state without a regulated marijuana market.
The Congressional Cannabis Caucus, originally formed in 2016, has seen leadership changes with Titus and Omar taking over from Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, and Barbara Lee, D-California. Key Republican allies like Ohio Representative Dave Joyce and Florida Representative Brian Mast continue to back reforms, particularly on banking and veterans’ access.
Titus also highlighted ongoing efforts to address loopholes in the Farm Bill that allow hemp-derived THC products to proliferate.
Trump’s evolving stance on marijuana reform adds another layer of uncertainty. During his first term, Trump opposed significant reforms, but he expressed support in 2024 for rescheduling marijuana and a legalization measure in Florida. While his endorsement didn’t sway Florida voters to pass Amendment 3, Titus suggested his influence “may change some things” in Congress.
However, Titus remains skeptical about relying on the White House. She pointed to delays in the marijuana rescheduling process initiated by President Joe Biden in 2022, which has stalled under administrative review.
“That’s where Congress can be engaged: to establish what that certainty is by pushing for descheduling,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Titus is determined to push federal policy closer to the progress made by states like Nevada, which she represents. “We need to get some things done here for the federal government to catch up,” she told MJBizDaily.
With the 119th Congress now underway, Titus’s leadership in the Cannabis Caucus will be critical in determining whether these long-sought reforms finally become reality.
