The November 2025 government funding bill included a rider changing federal hemp regulations to impose a 0.4 mg total THC limit per container.

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The November 11, 2025 government funding bill (continuing resolution) included a rider—a legislative provision attached to must-pass legislation—that redefined "hemp" by changing the THC measurement from percentage-based to total mg per container. The new rule capped total THC at 0.4 mg per container, effectively banning most hemp-derived products (delta-8, delta-10 THC gummies, flower) that exist legally under current law. This rider reveals how appropriations bills become vehicles for unrelated policy changes: Congress uses continuing resolutions and spending bills to expedite controversial provisions without full debate. The hemp industry (estimated $8+ billion annually) faced sudden regulatory collapse. This case teaches how appropriations riders function as legislative power: a small provision in a must-pass bill bypasses normal committee process. The hemp lobby opposed the rider but lacked influence compared to alcohol/tobacco industries that supported the ban as competitive threat. The outcome shows how regulatory authority flows to whoever controls the budget process.

The November 2025 government funding bill included a rider changing federal hemp regulations to impose a 0.4 mg total THC limit per container.

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