Todd Blanche (photo credit: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg).
The full U.S. Senate voted 50 to 49 today to confirm Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as the permanent attorney general. The vote was initiated at around 4:20am ET.
Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April, after previously serving as deputy attorney general. President Trump formally nominated him in June to succeed former Attorney General Pam Bondi, with the Judiciary Committee holding confirmation hearings in July.
In April, Blanche signed an order placing marijuana contained in products approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with marijuana subject to qualifying state-issued medical marijuana licenses, in Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.
The order also established an expedited process to consider fully moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. A Drug Enforcement Administration hearing on the proposal recently concluded, with participating parties facing an August 17 deadline to submit post-hearing briefs and closing arguments.
The Justice Department said the April action recognizes the longstanding regulation of medical marijuana by state governments while allowing expanded research into marijuana’s safety and medical efficacy.
“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” Blanche said after signing the order.
Blanche will continue overseeing the Justice Department as the marijuana rescheduling proceeding moves toward a recommended decision from the DEA’s chief administrative law judge.
