Senate Spending Bill Seeks One-Month Delay of Federal Hemp Ban

A short-term delay of the looming federal ban on most hemp-derived THC products has been tucked into a Senate stopgap spending bill, giving the industry roughly one extra month before the restrictions take full effect.

The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, released Sunday by Senate Appropriations Committee leaders, would fund the government through Dec. 11. A provision in the measure postpones the bulk of last year’s redefinition of hemp until that same date. Under the language, only products containing fully synthetic cannabinoids, those that cannot be naturally produced by the cannabis plant, would lose federal hemp status on the original Nov. 12 schedule. All other restrictions, including the total-THC standard and the 0.4-milligram per-container limit, would be held until Dec. 11.

Congress enacted the tighter definition in a November 2025 funding package. It replaces the 2018 Farm Bill’s delta-9 THC threshold with a total-THC test that includes THCA, caps finished products at 0.4 milligrams of total THC, and excludes many intoxicating derivatives. Industry groups estimate the changes would eliminate roughly 95 percent of current hemp cannabinoid products from the legal market, jeopardizing a sector valued at more than $28 billion and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) helped secure the delay. Klobuchar said the extension gives farmers, brewers, and small businesses needed certainty while Congress works on a longer-term solution. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable called the move “welcome news,” arguing it provides time to develop a regulatory framework rather than impose an outright ban.

Opposition remains strong. A bipartisan coalition of 35 state and territory attorneys general urged Congress this week to reject any delay. In a letter to Senate and House leaders, the attorneys general said the original redefinition closed a dangerous loophole that allowed unregulated intoxicating products to reach consumers, including minors. They warned that postponing the rules would invite renewed litigation, inconsistent enforcement, and continued youth access. Several senators, including Ted Budd (R-N.C.), have indicated they will seek to strip the provision.

The Senate version must still clear the full chamber and reconcile with a House measure that currently lacks the hemp language. Industry advocates and some lawmakers continue to press for a comprehensive federal regulatory system instead of a blanket prohibition. Separate bills proposing longer delays or full regulatory structures remain pending.

With both the government funding deadline and the revised hemp rules now tied to Dec. 11, pressure on Congress is expected to intensify in the coming weeks.