When a Republican who helps count votes in Congress decides to talk about cannabis, the room gets quiet.
That is what will happen on November 17 when Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania takes the stage at the Cannabis Capital & Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.
It is not exactly the crowd that packs your typical dispensary event, but if cannabis ever needed a seat at the grown-ups’ table, this is it.
Reschenthaler is the Chief Deputy Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives, a position that helps keep legislation moving and ensures party votes line up. The Whip team counts heads, builds coalitions, and influences what actually reaches the floor. If someone in that role is talking about cannabis finance, it means the topic is entering serious political territory.
A conservative voice talking capital and cannabis
A Navy JAG veteran and former judge, Reschenthaler is no stranger to rules and structure. His interest in cannabis centers on how the industry can function within those rules. In 2022, he co-sponsored the Capital Lending and Investment for Marijuana Businesses (CLIMB) Act, a bipartisan bill designed to open traditional lending and investment channels and allow U.S. cannabis companies to list on national stock exchanges.
The bill treats cannabis as a legitimate business sector that deserves access to credit, banking, and capital. It is not about culture; it is about economic infrastructure. For entrepreneurs, that means cheaper capital, safer payroll, and a shot at competing with large global operators.
The summit that could shift the conversation
The D.C. event, hosted by IgniteIt in partnership with the U.S. Cannabis Roundtable (USCR), brings together regulators, investors, and executives from across the cannabis supply chain. The lineup includes Charlie Bachtell of Cresco Labs, George Archos of Verano, Kim Rivers of Trulieve, and Boris Jordan of Curaleaf, among others.
With USCR’s help, the program focuses on federal rescheduling, capital markets, and institutional investment—the levers that can push cannabis finance from state-by-state patchwork into federal recognition.
Reschenthaler’s role is expected to center on institutional capital, senior exchange listings, and easing federal banking restrictions. For operators and investors who still move money in cash, that conversation could not come sooner.
Why it matters
For years, federal discussions about cannabis focused on legalization and criminal justice reform. Those debates still matter, but the next phase is about the money—how businesses raise it, where they keep it, and how they grow.
A member of House leadership addressing those issues signals a cultural and financial shift. It shows that cannabis has moved from the margins to the mainstream, and that people in power are beginning to treat it like any other regulated market.
The takeaway
A decade ago, the idea of a Republican Chief Deputy Whip speaking at a cannabis event in Washington would have sounded impossible. This fall, it is happening.
If Reschenthaler uses his platform to push the conversation on investment and access to capital, he will not just be talking policy—he will be talking about the future of the cannabis economy.
- Event: Cannabis Capital & Policy Summit
- Date: November 17, 2025
- Location: Hilton Washington DC National Mall at The Wharf
- Presented by: IgniteIt × U.S. Cannabis Roundtable
Photo by Harold Mendoza on Unsplash
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