The 2025-2026 session of the United States Congress has seen 1,227 bills filed so far, covering a wide array of issues. However, not a single piece of legislation introduced this year addresses cannabis policy.
This marks a notable absence given the momentum marijuana reform has gained in recent years, with 68% of voters nationwide supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana and an even higher percentage backing lesser reforms, such as medical marijuana legalization. At the state level, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana, while 39 have legalized it for medical use.
Despite this lack of action, congressional staffers tell us that the SAFER Banking Act is expected to be reintroduced in both the House and Senate in the coming weeks, with “strong bipartisan support”. This legislation, which would provide legal marijuana businesses with access to banking services, has been a recurring topic in Congress. Last year, the bill advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee with bipartisan support and has repeatedly passed the House in previous sessions. However, it has yet to receive a full vote in the Senate, despite Senator Chuck Schumer promising to do so when he was leader of the Senate.
During the previous 2023-2024 session, federal lawmakers filed over two dozen marijuana-related bills. Among them, the SAFER Banking Act and the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act garnered the most support. The MORE Act, which proposes descheduling marijuana at the federal level, has also made significant progress in past sessions, having passed the House multiple times, but as with the SAFER Banking Act, the MORE Act has never received a Senate vote.
At the time of publication, there is no word on whether the MORE Act, or the Senate’s version of the bill, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), will be reintroduced.
As the cannabis industry continues to grow and reform remains a key issue for many Americans, advocates are watching closely to see when Congress will finally begin to take action.
