Congress just blocked Jeff Sessions from messing with medical marijuana

Enlarge / Attorney General Jeff Sessions has staunchly opposed legalizing marijuana. (credit: Getty | Spencer Platt )

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is clearly fired up to fight state marijuana laws. Unfortunately for him, Congress just doused his chances.

The recent 1,665-page spending bill maintains a provision that prevents the Department of Justice from using any of its funds to hamper state laws related to medical marijuana. The department cannot "prevent any of them from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana," Section 537 of the bill reads.

The $1.1 trillion spending bill-the Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 244 (PDF)-passed the Senate today with a 79-to-18 vote. The White House has signaled that Trump will sign it, which will keep the government running until September.

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