,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fja ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #af1 #bjai ,mr4 ,gaetz 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4 ,panetta1 ,mr4 ,buck1 and ,ms4 ,de,gette7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committees on the ,judiciary1 and ,veterans' ,affairs1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to increase the number of manufacturers registered under the ,controlled ,substances ,act to manufacture cannabis for legitimate research purposes1 to authorize health care providers of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs to provide recommendations to veterans regarding participation in federally approved cannabis clinical trials1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,medical ,cannabis ,research ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,increasing the number of federally registered manufacturers of cannabis for legitimate research purposes 7a7 ,in general ,section #cjc of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hbc7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7k7 as subsection 7l72 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7j7 the following3 7k7 ,registration of manufacturers of cannabis for legitimate research purposes 7#a7 ,in general ,any manufacturer of cannabis for research shall obtain a separate registration under this subsection for that purpose-- 7,a7 annually2 or 7,b7 for a longer period as determined necessary by the ,attorney ,general to supply cannabis for the full duration of a particular multi-year study for legitimate research purposes4 7#b7 ,adequate and uninterrupted supply 7,a7 ,annual assessment ,on an annual basis1 the ,attorney ,general shall assess whether there is an adequate and uninterrupted supply of cannabis for legitimate research purposes4 7,b7 ,initial year ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,medical ,cannabis ,research ,act of #bjai1 of the applicants meeting the requirements of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general shall register under subsection 7a7 and this subsection at least #c applicants to manufacture cannabis for legitimate research purposes in addition to any manufacturers that are registered under subsection 7a7 to manufacture cannabis as of the date of enactment of the ,medical ,cannabis ,research ,act of #bjai4 7,c7 ,subsequent years ,for calendar year #bjai and each subsequent calendar year1 of the applicants meeting the requirements of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general shall register 7including any registration renewal7 under subsection 7a7 and this subsection at least #d applicants to manufacture cannabis for legitimate research purposes4 7#c7 ,requirements ,a manufacturer registered under this subsection shall-- 7,a7 comply with all applicable requirements of this ,act2 7,b7 limit the transfer and sale of any cannabis manufactured pursuant to this section-- 7i7 to researchers who are registered under this ,act to conduct research with controlled substances in schedule ,i2 and 7ii7 for purposes of use in preclinical research or in a clinical investigation pursuant to an investigational new drug exemption under #eje7;i7 of the ,federal ,food1 ,drug1 and ,cosmetic ,act2 7,c7 have completed the application and review process under subsection 7a7 for the bulk manufacture of controlled substances in schedule ,i2 7,d7 have established and begun operation of a process for storage and handling of controlled substances in schedule ,i1 including for inventory control and monitoring security2 7,e7 have the ability to provide at least #aj unique plant cultivars to ensure plant diversity and scale up to produce bulk plant material on an uninterrupted basis sufficient to supply forecasted demand2 7,f7 be licensed1 by each ,state in which the manufacturer conducts its operations pursuant to this subsection1 to manufacture cannabis2 7,g7 have completed a criminal background check for all personnel involved in the operations of the manufacturer pursuant to this subsection to confirm that such personnel have no conviction for a violent felony2 and 7,h7 have the ability to test for and isolate at least #ab cannabinoids for the purposes of producing specific products for specific studies by compounding pharmacists or others1 labeling1 and chemical consistency4 7#d7 ,application contents ,as part of an application to be registered under this subsection1 an applicant shall include a written explanation of how the applicant's proposed manufacture of cannabis would augment the ,nation's supply of cannabis for legitimate research purposes4 7#e7 ,process ,not later than #a year after the date on which the ,attorney ,general receives an application to be registered under this section to manufacture cannabis for research1 the ,attorney ,general shall-- 7,a7 grant1 or initiate proceedings under section #cjd7;c7 to deny1 the application2 or 7,b7 request supplemental information from the applicant4 7#f7 ,rule of construction on registration for purposes other than research ,nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect the provisions of this section prohibiting or otherwise pertaining to registration of manufacturers of cannabis for purposes other than research1 including for purposes of strictly commercial endeavors funded by the private sector and aimed at drug product development4 7#g7 ,no discriminatory treatment by ,federal ,government ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 no ,federal department or agency shall deny or limit any funding1 other assistance1 licensing1 or other privilege with respect to any person on the basis that such person is1 or is legally receiving cannabis from1 a manufacturer of cannabis that is-- 7,a7 registered under this subsection2 and 7,b7 in compliance with the requirements of this ,act4 7#h7 ,special rule ,if cannabis1 or any component thereof1 is placed in a schedule other than schedule ,i1 the ,attorney ,general may1 as the ,attorney ,general determines appropriate-- 7,a7 treat the reference to subsection 7a7 in paragraph 7#b77;,c7 of this subsection as a reference to subsection 7d72 and 7,b7 treat the references to schedule ,i in paragraph 7#c7 as references to the appropriate schedule4 7#i7 ,definition ,in this subsection1 the term legitimate research purposes has the meaning given to such term for purposes of subsection 7a77#a74 4 7b7 ,transitional provisions 7#a7 ,current registrants ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a7 of section #cjc7k7 of the ,controlled ,substances ,act1 as added by subsection 7a71 any manufacturer that is registered under section #cjc7;a7 of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hbc7;a77 to manufacture cannabis as of the date of enactment of this ,act shall not be required to obtain a separate registration under such section #cjc7k7 for the #a-year period following the date of enactment of this ,act4 7#b7 ,pending applications ,except as provided in paragraph 7#a71 the ,attorney ,general of the ,united ,states shall grant or deny1 in accordance with section #cjc of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hbc71 as amended by subsection 7a71 each application to manufacture cannabis to supply researchers in the ,united ,states that was submitted-- 7,a7 pursuant to the policy statement entitled ,applications ,to ,become ,registered ,under the ,controlled ,substances ,act ,to ,manufacture ,marijuana ,to ,supply ,researchers in the ,united ,states published by the ,drug ,enforcement ,administration in the ,federal ,register on ,august #ab1 #bjaf 7#ha ,fed4 ,reg4 #echdf72 and 7,b7 before the date of enactment of this ,act4 7c7 ,technical amendment ,section #ajb7af7 of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hjb7af77 is amended by inserting after ,the term marihuana the following3 or marijuana or cannabis4 #c4 ,provision by ,department of ,veterans ,affairs health care providers of information regarding veteran participation in federally approved cannabis clinical trials 7a7 ,provision of information and forms ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 health care providers of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs may-- 7#a7 provide information to veterans regarding participation in federally approved cannabis clinical trials2 and 7#b7 complete forms relating to such participation4 7b7 ,receipt of information ,health care providers and other employees of the ,department may accept information regarding federally approved cannabis clinical trials provided by individuals who are not employed by the ,department who are researchers registered under the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hja et seq47 to conduct research with controlled substances in schedule ,i of section #bjb7;c7 of such ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hab7;c774 7c7 ,research ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs may conduct research on cannabis if the employees of the ,department who are conducting such research are researchers registered under the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hja et seq47 to conduct research with controlled substances in schedule ,i of section #bjb7;c7 of such ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hab7;c774