“A newly published Senate Intelligence Committee report on the larger legislation shows that the panel approved the marijuana provision by a party-line vote of 10 to 7 last month.”
The provision only bars denying a clearance “based solely” on cannabis use before the application. Current use is still disqualifying, and “solely” leaves agencies every other excuse they want. Wyden’s broader version covering all federal departments died last year when two GOP senators threatened the whole bill. The CIA gets a bigger hiring pool. Everyone else in federal service still pays for a legal habit.