The Veterans Equal Access Act — A Decade-Long Journey
The Veterans Equal Access Act would authorize VA providers to recommend medical cannabis and complete state program forms in states where cannabis is legal. It has been introduced in every Congress since 2015, has passed both chambers multiple times as appropriations amendments, and has been stripped during conference committee negotiations every single time. Ten years in, it remains unenacted.
The Recurring Near-Win
The Veterans Equal Access Act is the most important unenacted federal veteran cannabis legislation. Most recent House passage: June 25, 2025 (218–206). Stripped in conference (again). As of April 2026, it has not been enacted into law. Sponsors now include Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), a combat-wounded Army veteran who lost both legs to an IED.
What the Act Would Do
The Veterans Equal Access Act is a narrow bill with a specific purpose: authorize VA providers to recommend medical cannabis and complete state program forms, but only in states where cannabis is legal under state law. Specifically, the act would:
- Allow VA physicians and providers to recommend medical cannabis in states with medical programs
- Allow VA providers to complete state medical cannabis program paperwork (certifications, registration forms)
- Protect VA providers from federal disciplinary action for doing so
- Not require VA to dispense, prescribe, or pay for cannabis
- Not override state licensure requirements
- Not legalize cannabis federally
The bill is specifically designed to be narrow and targeted — it does not attempt comprehensive reform, which has been the graveyard of more ambitious cannabis legislation.
The Introduction History
The Veterans Equal Access Act has been introduced in every Congress since the 114th, originally by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR):
| Congress | Bill Number | Lead Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 114th (2015) | H.R. 667 | Blumenauer (D-OR) |
| 115th (2017) | H.R. 1820 | Blumenauer (D-OR) |
| 116th (2019) | H.R. 1647 | Blumenauer (D-OR) |
| 118th (2023) | H.R. 2431 | Blumenauer (D-OR), with Rep. Mast as co-sponsor |
| 119th (2025) | H.R. 1384 | Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) |
The Appropriations Amendment Pattern
Beyond standalone bills, the substance of the Veterans Equal Access Act has been repeatedly attached as an amendment to annual MilCon-VA (Military Construction and Veterans Affairs) appropriations bills. The pattern has been remarkably consistent:
- House Appropriations Committee adopts the amendment during markup
- Full House passes the appropriations bill with the amendment included
- Senate Appropriations Committee adopts its version (sometimes with the amendment, sometimes without)
- Conference committee strips the amendment from the final bill
- Final appropriations does not contain cannabis provisions
This has happened repeatedly since FY2016. The most recent House passage as an appropriations amendment was in 2025, passing by 218–206. It was stripped in conference, as the previous iterations had been.
Why It Keeps Getting Stripped
The reasons vary by year, but include:
- Conservative Republican resistance in some conference negotiations, based on cannabis policy concerns generally
- Administration positions varying across Obama, Trump I, Biden, and Trump II
- Concerns about federal preemption and executive branch consistency
- VA institutional resistance in some periods
- Appropriations conference dynamics where narrow amendments are often sacrificed to avoid broader conflicts
- Pharmaceutical industry lobbying at the margins
The net effect is that a policy supported by both chambers individually has never made it into final law.
Rep. Brian Mast — The New Lead Sponsor
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) became the lead sponsor of H.R. 1384 in the 119th Congress after Blumenauer's retirement. Mast is a combat-wounded Army veteran who lost both legs to an IED in Afghanistan. His personal authority on veteran issues and Republican Party affiliation give him unique leverage on this legislation that Blumenauer, as a Democrat, did not have in the same way.
Mast's advocacy has been significant for several reasons:
- He is a visible Republican veteran, making the issue harder to frame as a purely Democratic cannabis-reform cause
- He has spoken publicly about VA pain management and cannabis as an alternative
- He co-chairs the Congressional Cannabis Caucus
- His appropriations committee position gives him procedural influence over VA funding
Blumenauer's Legacy
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) retired in January 2025 after a decade of cannabis advocacy work. His legacy includes:
- Introducing the Veterans Equal Access Act in every Congress from 2015 to 2023
- Co-founding the Congressional Cannabis Caucus in 2017
- Co-authoring the Rohrabacher-Farr (now Blumenauer) Amendment protecting state medical cannabis programs from DOJ interference
- Co-sponsoring the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, signed into law December 2022 — the first and only standalone federal cannabis reform ever enacted
- Consistent advocacy throughout his congressional career
Blumenauer's retirement left a significant gap in cannabis advocacy leadership, which Mast has partially filled.
The Daines-Merkley Senate Pairing
On the Senate side, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) have led parallel efforts. Daines has been the key Republican champion for the Daines-Merkley amendments in Senate Appropriations since FY2016. Merkley (a Democrat) has been his primary partner, noting at markup: "This committee has approved this amendment in every single markup since 2015."
The Daines-Merkley pairing illustrates that the Veterans Equal Access Act is not a partisan issue at the committee level. It has consistent bipartisan support in both chambers' appropriations committees, and passes the floor of both chambers regularly. What fails is the conference process.
What the Act Would Not Change
Even if enacted, the Veterans Equal Access Act would NOT:
- Legalize cannabis federally
- Remove cannabis from Schedule I
- Allow VA to dispense, prescribe, or pay for cannabis
- Change UCMJ Article 112a (cannabis would remain prohibited for military members)
- Change security clearance rules under SEAD 4 Guideline H
- Change DOT safety-sensitive position rules
- Override federal employment prohibitions under EO 12564
- Affect cannabis access in states without medical programs
The act is narrowly focused on enabling VA provider recommendations in state-legal contexts. It would meaningfully expand veteran access to state medical cannabis programs by removing the barrier that currently requires veterans to use private physicians outside the VA system. But it would not change the broader federal framework.
Current Prospects
As of April 2026, the Veterans Equal Access Act has:
- Passed the House as an appropriations amendment in the current cycle
- Strong support in Senate Appropriations
- Rep. Mast as a highly visible Republican veteran lead sponsor
- Endorsement from multiple VSOs including American Legion, IAVA, and DAV
- No clear path through conference committee based on historical pattern
Whether this cycle will finally be the one where it makes it through conference remains uncertain. The Trump II administration has been supportive of veteran access broadly and cannabis research specifically (EO 14370), but has not explicitly endorsed the Veterans Equal Access Act. VA institutional positions have softened somewhat but have not changed definitively.
How Veterans Can Support
- Contact your congressional representatives — particularly if they serve on appropriations committees or conference committees
- Contact your senators — particularly if they are members of the Senate Appropriations Committee or MilCon-VA subcommittee
- Share your story with advocacy organizations like VMCA, VCP, and VSOs
- Support authentic advocacy organizations that lobby for the legislation
- Track appropriations bill timelines — this is where the action happens, typically in the spring and fall of each congressional year