IB 

Union Calendar No. 533 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5520 

[Report No. 115–690] 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use the authority of the 

Secretary to conduct and support research on the efficacy and safety 

of medicinal cannabis, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 16, 2018 

Mr. WALZ (for himself, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, and Mr. CORREA) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

MAY 18, 2018 

Additional sponsors: Mr. TAKANO, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. COFFMAN, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. PETERS, Mr. O’ROURKE, 

Miss RICE of New York, Ms. ESTY of Connecticut, Mr. BLUMENAUER, 

Mr. GAETZ, Mr. CLAY, Mr. JONES, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. COHEN, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. 

RASKIN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. KIHUEN, Mr. POCAN, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. POLIS, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. TITUS, Mr. CRIST, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Ms. LEE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HECK, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. 

SWALWELL of California, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. THOMAS J. ROONEY of 

Florida, Mr. RUSH, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. CURBELO of Florida, Ms. 

NORTON, Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. 

KHANNA, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. SOTO, Mr. RUTHERFORD, Mr. LAMB, Mr. CARBAJAL, and Mr. QUIGLEY

MAY 18, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 16, 2018] 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 5520 RH

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use the 

authority of the Secretary to conduct and support research on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis, 

and for other purposes. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 5520 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Medicinal Cannabis 

5 Research Act of 2018’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CONDUCT OF RESEARCH INTO EFFECTS OF CAN7 NABIS ON HEALTH OUTCOMES OF CERTAIN 

8 VETERANS. 

9 (a) RESEARCH.—In carrying out the responsibilities 

10 of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 7303 of 

11 title 38, United States Code, the Secretary may conduct and 

12 support research relating to the efficacy and safety of forms 

13 of cannabis described in subsection (c) on the health out14 comes of covered veterans diagnosed with chronic pain, 

15 post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions the Sec16 retary determines appropriate. The Secretary shall ensure 

17 that such research is conducted in accordance with applica18 ble regulations relating to the oversight of research, includ19 ing such regulations prescribed by the Office of Research 

20 and Development of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 

21 Department of Health and Human Services (including 

22 through the National Institute on Drug Abuse), the Food 

23 and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement Adminis24 tration, and the National Institutes of Health. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 5520 RH

1 (b) DATA PRESERVATION.—Research conducted pursu2 ant to subsection (a) shall include a mechanism to ensure 

3 the preservation of all data, including all data sets, collected 

4 or used for purposes of the research required by subsection 

5 (a) in a manner that will facilitate further research. 

6 (c) FORMS OF CANNABIS TO BE RESEARCHED.—The 

7 forms of cannabis described in this subsection are— 

8 (1) varying forms of cannabis, including— 

9 (A) full plants and extracts; 

10 (B) at least three different strains of can11 nabis with significant variants in phenotypic 

12 traits and various ratios of tetrahydrocannabinol 

13 and cannabidiol in chemical composition; and 

14 (C) other chemical analogs of tetrahydro15 cannabinol; and 

16 (2) varying methods of cannabis delivery, in17 cluding topical application, combustible and non18 combustible inhalation, and ingestion. 

19 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.—If the Secretary conducts and 

20 supports research under subsection (a), the Secretary 

21 shall— 

22 (1) before conducting and supporting such re23 search, develop a plan to implement this section and 

24 submit such plan to the Committees on Veterans’ AfVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:37 May 18, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H5520.RH H5520

dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 5520 RH

1 fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate; 

2 and 

3 (2) issue any requests for proposals the Secretary 

4 determines appropriate for such implementation. 

5 (e) REPORTS.—During the five-year period beginning 

6 on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

7 submit periodically, but not less frequently than annually, 

8 to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep9 resentatives and the Senate reports on— 

10 (1) the implementation of this section; or 

11 (2) the rationale of the Secretary with respect to 

12 determining not to implement this section. 

13 (f) COVERED VETERAN DEFINED.—In this section, the 

14 term ‘‘covered veteran’’ means a veteran who is enrolled in 

15 the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans 

16 Affairs under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 533 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5520 

[Report No. 115–690] 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 

medicinal cannabis, and for other purposes. support research on the efficacy and safety of use the authority of the Secretary to conduct and 

MAY 18, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS