The Trump administration is asking Congress to revise federal hemp regulations as part of a supplemental funding request sent today to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The June 24 letter, signed by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell T. Vought, transmits an $87.6 billion supplemental request to Congress. While most of the package is focused on defense-related costs tied to Operation Epic Fury, the administration also included several policy requests it says it “strongly supports,” including changes to how hemp products are regulated federally.
According to the letter, those authorities include “revising the Federal regulation of hemp to ensure the fair treatment of hemp products” in a manner consistent with Amendment #54 offered to H.R. 8646 in the House Rules Committee. The administration also said that, at minimum, Congress should extend implementation of the hemp regulatory framework put in place by Section 781 of Public Law 119-37.
The request would update the statutory definition of “final hemp-derived cannabinoid products” to allow access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products while maintaining Congress’s intent to restrict products that pose serious health risks.
The letter does not include full legislative text for the hemp proposal, and the hemp language is just one part of a broader supplemental request that also includes funding for military operations, Ebola response efforts, agricultural assistance, infrastructure projects and other policy changes.
Still, the inclusion of hemp language is notable, as it shows the White House is asking Congress to address the issue as part of the supplemental process. For hemp businesses and consumers, the administration’s language suggests support for a more targeted approach that protects access to full-spectrum CBD products while restricting products viewed as raising serious health concerns.
Vought urged Congress to act quickly on the supplemental request, writing that the administration is open to discussing additional relief for other urgent matters.
