Top GOP Whip Outlines Path for Bipartisan Cannabis Reform at D.C. Summit

Not many months ago, it seemed that significant progress on cannabis policy reform was right around the corner. President Donald Trump had suggested his administration would soon make progress on a proposal to reschedule cannabis launched by his predecessor, and his support for Florida’s recreational marijuana legalization initiative hinted at even more substantial change.

Nearly a year into the second Trump administration, however, the prospect for reform doesn’t look as rosy. The president has gone silent on the issue, and Congress’s recent ban on hemp THC products threatens a multibillion-dollar industry.

These developments and others were on the minds of every cannabis advocate at IgniteIt’s Cannabis Capital & Policy Summit in the nation’s capital last week, leaving many at the event searching for answers. And it was the right place to come for insight into federal policy, with lawmakers including New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania, the GOP’s House chief deputy whip, on the day’s slate of speakers.

CEO and Congressman Have Frank Discussion About Cannabis Policy

In the final session of the day, moderator Charlie Bachtell, CEO and co-founder of Cresco Labs, sat down with Reschenthaler for a one-on-one discussion. After introducing the congressman, Bachtell began the conversation by asking Reschenthaler what his role in Republican House leadership entails. The lawmaker, acknowledging that “nobody knows what the chief deputy whip is,” explained that he is responsible for tracking the number of likely votes for and against each bill as it winds its way through the House.

It’s a position that puts Reschenthaler face-to-face with House committee chairs and other top GOP leaders, including the speaker. He’s also responsible for tracking the views of rank-and-file members, a dual role that gives him unique insight into the federal legislative process.

Bachtell then turned to cannabis policy, first by asking Reschenthaler how he became a supporter of federal reform efforts. The congressman pointed to his time as a defense attorney in the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s office to help explain his position.

“For me, it was really easy, because when I was in the Navy,” Reschenthaler told the audience, “a lot of my clients had a drug addiction. And a lot of those drug addictions came because Navy medicine overprescribed Percocet, other painkillers, narcotics.”

“I said, you know, you could avoid getting people addicted to these painkillers, and ultimately that would lead to heroin and then crime,” he continued.” “We have an alternative that’s not physically addictive, that should be prescribed—medical cannabis.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPOJki3XvjY&t=11s

Finding Common Ground on Cannabis Policy Reform

Bachtell then asked Reschenthaler to explain how the cannabis industry could help persuade his colleagues to support policy reform, saying, “How do you see the cannabis conversation being a part of the America First agenda in this Congress and going forward?”

“Well, it fits really well into the America First agenda,” Reschenthaler replied.

“It makes a lot of sense, because we know that if we can make sure that it’s legal for medical use, and we can produce in the United States, then we’re creating American jobs,” the congressman added. “We’re dependent on ourselves, not others. We’re not funding narcoterrorism.”

Seizing on the opportunity afforded by Reschenthaler’s direct access to the legislative process, Bachtell then asked the Pennsylvania lawmaker about bills to ease financial restrictions on the cannabis industry, the Secure And Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act (SAFER Banking Act), and the Capital Lending and Investment for Marijuana Businesses (CLIMB) Act.

Noting that he supports both bills, Reschenthaler suggested that the cannabis community had opportunities to bring more lawmakers on board. He first suggested targeting members of the House Freedom Caucus. With some caucus members already backing reform, the conservative bloc could be the path to more support from the far right.

Reschenthaler cited the popularity of cannabis policy reform among veterans as another opportunity to gain inroads with conservative lawmakers.

“I think one of the pathways is through the veteran community,” Reschenthaler said, “because veterans are very open to alternative forms of medicine, because they’ve seen the failures that military medicine has provided in general.”

Game Changers for Cannabis Policy Reform

When Bachtell asked the congressman what policies he saw as potential “game changers” to bring about a regulated cannabis industry, he said that passage of the financial bills was paramount.

“If you’re engaged in a lawful activity, you should be able to have the same access to capital, the same access to banks, as any other business,” Reschenthaler said.

“The one-two punch would really be CLIMB and SAFE Banking,” he continued. “So I think those two together would go a long way to help the industry.”

To wrap up the discussion, Bachtell returned to America First, a theme popular with President Donald Trump and many lawmakers. How can the cannabis industry ensure that it is part of the reprioritized domestic agenda, the moderator wondered.

Reschethaler noted that issues including keeping drug cartels out of U.S. cannabis and support for veterans’ access are key points. As support for cannabis policy reform increases, he stressed the importance of keeping both major political parties engaged.

“We are turning the corner, and I think it’s very important that you just keep the movement bipartisan,” he said.

Join Us in Chicago

As federal cannabis policy enters a pivotal stretch, industry leaders, investors and policymakers will reconvene at IgniteIt’s Cannabis Capital Conference ‘26, June 8–10 in Chicago. For agenda details, registration and scholarship information for minority- and women-owned businesses, visit events.igniteit.com/cannabis-capital-2026