Americans who use cannabis could soon be eligible for federal employment, including for jobs that involve U.S. security clearances, under new legislation in Washington.
U.S. House Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, introduced the Cannabis Users’ Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act on Sept. 17, legislation that aims to prevent current or prior cannabis use from becoming standalone grounds for denying certain work opportunities within the federal government.
Specifically, the bill would amend the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 – legislation that President George W. Bush signed following the 9/11 attacks – to provide the proposed exception for cannabis use.
Raskin introduced the bipartisan bill this week after sponsoring similar legislation alongside Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., in 2023.
“Every year, qualified and dedicated individuals seeking to serve our country are unable to secure federal jobs and security clearances because the federal government has not caught up with the widely established legal use of medical and recreational cannabis,” Raskin said, adding that the CURE Act aims to “eliminate the draconian, failed and obsolete marijuana policies that prevent talented individuals from becoming honorable public servants in their own government.”
The CURE Act stipulates that “past use of marihuana by a covered person may not be used in any determination with respect to whether such person is – (a) eligible for a security clearance; or (b) suitable for federal employment, including under any suitability determination pursuant to” the Code of Federal Regulations.
In addition, the legislation would require federal agencies to review decisions on or after Jan. 1, 2008, that denied an individual a security clearance or federal employment because of an adverse suitability determination. This would provide cannabis users who were denied past job opportunities the pathway to seek similar opportunities moving forward.
“Upon receiving a request from any individual who was so denied a security clearance or employment (as the case may be), not later than 90 days after the date such request is so received, the federal agency that denied such clearance or employment shall review the decision and determine if such decision was based solely on past marihuana use,” the bill states.
The bill was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
