Ilhan Omar Says New Cannabis Caucus Chairs Will Be ‘Louder’ And Appeal To GOP’s ‘Libertarian Senses’ To Advance Reform In 2025

One of the new Democratic co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), tells Marijuana Moment that her plan to advance marijuana reform this session is to be “a little bit louder” than her predecessors and and to appeal to Republican members’ “libertarian senses.”

Following the retirement of Cannabis Caucus leaders Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Barbara Lee (D-CA), Omar and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) were named as their successors, joining the panel’s GOP co-chairs Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Brian Mast (R-FL) as they once again seek to find bipartisan ground on marijuana policy reform.

The task is arguably steeper this session, with Republicans in control of the House, Senate and White House, and GOP congressional leaders’ history of opposing reform efforts. But while Omar said caucus members have not yet met to thoroughly consider their strategy in 2025, part of the calculus on the Democratic end is to “be a little bit louder than Barbara and Earl.”

What that means in practical terms—or how turning up the volume in the current political climate on Capitol Hill will be received—is unclear. Blumenauer and Lee have, for decades, advocated for reforms both incremental and comprehensive, from bipartisan legislation to give cannabis businesses access to the banking system to ending prohibition altogether. And members across the aisle have credited them for their consistency, regardless of their own individual views on cannabis issues.

Still, Omar suggested the message could be delivered more loudly to affect change. And given that both she and Titus represent states that have enacted adult-use legalization, the congresswoman said they will “bring a unique voice to the issue.”

Proud to serve as the new Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus alongside @repdinatitus.

Looking forward to pushing for meaningful cannabis reform and address the harm caused by decades of criminalization.

It’s time to bring our federal cannabis laws into the 21st…

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) January 13, 2025

Again, the political realities of the 119th Congress could complicate any attempts to move on marijuana reform. While there’s bipartisan support for certain proposals such as cannabis banking—and supporters may stand to benefit from President-elect Donald Trump’s endorsement of that and other reforms—the pathway to passage remains murky, especially given the generally anti-cannabis records of key GOP leadership in both chambers.

To that end, Omar said another part of the plan will be to reach out to Republican colleagues and “speak to their libertarian senses.” And to be sure, that has been a guiding philosophy for certain GOP members who have backed changing federal marijuana laws, at least to the extent that individual liberties are not infringed over cannabis use and states are empowered to set their own policies without the threat of federal intervention.

“It should be a given at this point, and that’s the point we’re going to try to make,” Omar said.

Titus, for her part, told Marijuana Moment earlier this month that she looks forward to “helping the federal government catch up to the states by advancing cannabis policy reforms in 2025.”

“I’ve worked successfully on this issue for years and want to continue to improve access to banking services and regular tax treatment for cannabis businesses, allow veterans to use cannabis for medicinal purposes through the VA, and push the federal government to reform its outdated scheduling of marijuana as a dangerous drug,” she said. “These are practical, fair reforms that both parties in Congress can support.”

Blumenauer separately told Marijuana Moment in late 2023 after announcing his retirement that he doesn’t intend to bow out of the reform effort altogether even if he’ll no longer be in Congress.

In one of his final speeches on the House floor late last month, Blumenauer said his work on cannabis reform was simultaneously one of the “greatest areas of satisfaction” and “greatest disappointments” as marijuana remains federally prohibited.

The congressman also weighed in on the prospects of reform under the incoming Trump administration. He said part of the reason he remains optimistic is because he’s “recruited people to be in the leadership position” of the Cannabis Caucus after he departs.

“This is part of what we’re doing with the next Congress,” he said, “because we’re right on the edge. It’s very, very close.”

The LCB contributed reporting from Washington, D.C. 

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