U.S. Senate debates delay of federal hemp‑derived THC ban

federal hemp ban Senate funding bill Ted Budd amendment state attorneys general industry lobbying

A provision in the Senate’s stopgap funding bill would push back the federal ban on intoxicating hemp‑derived THC products from the originally scheduled November 12 deadline to December 11. The measure has become a flashpoint in negotiations before the August recess, with Senate leaders seeking to pass the spending bill while GOP senators push to keep the original deadline.

President Donald Trump and White House officials have urged senators to support the delay, including a reported call from Trump to Senator Ted Budd. Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, wrote to senators urging them to reject Budd’s amendment that would preserve the November deadline, citing concerns for seniors and disabled patients who rely on hemp‑derived CBD. Senator Budd has filed an amendment to keep the ban on schedule, arguing it protects children from “illicit” products.

Meanwhile, a coalition of 35 state attorneys general, led by Attorney General Anthony G. Brown of Maryland, sent a letter to congressional leaders urging Congress to let the ban take effect as scheduled, warning that delaying or weakening it would create regulatory uncertainty and increase youth access. Industry groups such as Team Hemp and Hemp Industry & Farmers of America have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on lobbying. The White House’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, is linked to the issue through her son‑in‑law, Bret Worley, CEO of MC Nutraceuticals, raising conflict‑of‑interest concerns.

Entities

35 state attorneys general · Amy Klobuchar · Anthony G. Brown · Attorney General Anthony G. Brown · Donald Trump · Dr. Mehmet Oz · Jeff Merkley · President Donald Trump · Rand Paul · Senator Ted Budd · Susie Wiles · Ted Budd

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Senate leaders are trying to pass the stopgap funding bill before the August recess. dnyuz.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] White House chief of staff Susie Wiles’ son‑in‑law Bret Worley, CEO of MC Nutraceuticals, is linked to lobbying for a hemp‑ban delay. www.ms.now
[○ 1 SOURCE] Industry groups Team Hemp and Hemp Industry & Farmers of America spent $300,000 and $415,000 respectively on lobbying related to the hemp ban. thedailypour.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The Senate stopgap funding bill includes a provision to delay the federal ban on hemp‑derived THC products from November 12 to December 11. themarijuanaherald.com · dnyuz.com · filtermag.org · ganjapreneur.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] President Donald Trump called Senator Ted Budd to persuade him to support a delay of the hemp ban. justthenews.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Senator Ted Budd filed an amendment to keep the hemp‑derived THC ban on the November 12 schedule. themarijuanaherald.com · thedailypour.com · dnyuz.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Dr. Mehmet Oz urged the Senate to reject the amendment that would keep the original November deadline. themarijuanaherald.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Thirty‑five state attorneys general sent a letter urging Congress to let the hemp ban take effect as scheduled on November 12. www.nuggmd.com · ganjapreneur.com · thebaynet.com