Who?
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) — Co-chair, Congressional Cannabis Caucus
LISTEN: Laslo & Mast
Ask a Pol asks:
Cannabis didn’t come up in this new Congress for the first seven or so months, but then over Congress’ month long August recess, members introduced a rescheduling bill and separately a descheduling measure — what changed?
Key Mast:
“The president spoke very specifically. He said it out loud. He's looking at the consideration of rescheduling cannabis,” Rep. Brian Mast tells Ask a Pol.
Yeah? Now that it's Appropriations (think government funding) season in Washington, do you think we'll be seeing more marijuana amendments?
“Because the president brought it up you'll see movement on it,” Mast says.
Was that kind of a wake-up call for some of your party?
“Entirely,” the Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-chair says.
ICYMI — Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo first sold this interview to Marijuana Moment through his wire service, The LCB
Caught our ear:
“Kellyanne [Conway], very much in [the President’s] circle of people. This is something that she's been moving forward with the administration as well for some time,” Mast tells us. “She's been, I think, of the inner circle there, let's say the biggest champion of it. So I think Kellyanne's making a difference as well.”
Below, you’ll find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Brian Mast (9-4-2025)
SCENE: Rep. Brian Mast and a few aides are waiting for the congressman to be picked up and taken to the airport after he cast his last vote of the week. Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo catches the Cannabis Caucus Co-chair for a quick update on marijuana efforts in the 119th Congress.
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Matt Laslo: “Hey, how are you, Congressman?”
Brian Mast: “Good. How about yourself?”
ML: “Livin’ the dream.”
BM: “Glad to hear it.”
ML: “I saw over recess that some cannabis rescheduling measures were introduced?”
BM: “Ahuh.”
ML: “Have you guys — you still haven't met as a [Cannabis] Caucus or?”
ICYMI — 9 months into new Congress, still no meeting
BM: “I think even more importantly than that, I mean, the president spoke very specifically.”
ML: “Yeah?”
BM: “I mean, he said it out loud, you know, he's looking at the consideration of rescheduling cannabis.”
ML: “Yeah? And, we're seeing some movement now that it's appropriation season, do you think we're seeing more amendments?”
BM: “I think because the president brought it up, you'll see movement on it.”
ML: “Yeah?”
BM: “Yeah.”
ML: “Was that kind of a wake-up call for some of your party?”
BM: “Entirely.”
ML: “Yeah? Because there hasn't really been any discussion of it.”
BM: “No, not — I mean, there's, for us that work in the Caucus, discussion of it. We've had meetings. We've visited with folks and interest groups and things like that. And bear in mind, you know, so the president has his circle of people…”
ML: “Yeah?”
BM: “And Kellyanne [Conway] is very much in his circle of people. This is something that she's been moving forward with the administration as well for sometimes. She's been, I think, of the inner circle there, you know, let's say the biggest champion of it. So I think Kellyanne's making a difference as well.”
ML: “That's what I heard in the first term, that it was — once [Trump’s fmr. Chief of Staff] Mark Meadows was brought in, that he kind of killed it, but Kellyanne was moving forward on it.”
BM: “I can’t speak to that piece of it, but I know that Kellyanne's moving it.”
Mast aide: “We do have to get him on a flight pretty soon.”
ML: “So do you — so you don't think we'll see a standalone bill, per se?”
BM: “Couldn't say.”
ML: “Yeah?”
BM: “You're asking me to flip a coin right now.”
ML: “Yeah? Interesting.”
BM: “Thanks.”
ML: “Good to see ya!”
BM: “Take care.”
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