FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
President Trump Executive Order: Schedule III and Banking
Agency Tribal Nations — Federal Compliance Declaration · Cannabis Licensing 2026
Cannabis Licensing 2026 · PN-610 · Office of the Head Chief · Agency Tribal Nations
April 20, 2026
Mendocino Indian Reservation · Sovereign Tribal Territory
Public Notice #: PN-610
Issued by: Office of the Head Chief, Agency Tribal Nations
Status: Active · Effective April 7, 2026
AGENCY TRIBAL NATIONS today issues Public Notice PN-610, declaring that the tribe is operating in full compliance with federal law — specifically, President Trump's December 18, 2025 Executive Order directing the expedited rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. ATN's Cannabis Licensing 2026 framework, effective April 7, 2026, is the first tribally-issued, federally compliant Schedule III cannabis licensing instrument in the United States.
On December 18, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14370, titled Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research, issuing three binding federal directives with direct implications for tribal cannabis operators:
EXECUTIVE ORDER — THREE DIRECTIVES
Attorney General: Expedite Rescheduling
The Attorney General is directed to complete rulemaking to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under 21 U.S.C. § 812 "in the most expeditious manner." The Order cites the August 2023 HHS Schedule III recommendation and DOJ proposed rulemaking of May 2024 as the foundation.
Congress: Update CBD Definitions
Congressional leadership is directed to work with relevant agencies to update statutory definitions of hemp-derived cannabinoid products, including guidance on THC milligram limits and CBD-to-THC ratios — directly expanding the commercial framework for hemp-derived products.
HHS, FDA, CMS, NIH: Research Standards
HHS, FDA, CMS, and NIH are directed to develop research methodologies using real-world evidence to improve access to cannabinoid products and establish medical standards of care — creating the pathway for federally recognized medical cannabis treatment protocols.
Why This Order Matters
The Order expressly cites the FDA's finding of "scientific support for use to treat anorexia related to a medical condition, nausea and vomiting, and pain," the HHS Schedule III recommendation, and the DOJ proposed rulemaking — creating a complete federal administrative record supporting Schedule III. The President's direct intervention signals the end of Schedule I cannabis policy at the federal level.
Agency Tribal Nations did not wait for federal rulemaking to complete. Anchored in the Constitution of the Mendocino California Tribal Nations — the fixed, supreme law — ATN issued Cannabis Licensing 2026 effective April 7, 2026: a complete, federally compliant Schedule III licensing framework fully aligned with the President's Executive Order.
Attorney General to expedite Schedule III rescheduling
Cannabis Licensing 2026 operates exclusively on a Schedule III framework. All ATN-issued licenses are anchored in 21 U.S.C. § 812 Schedule III compliance. ATN is not waiting for rulemaking — tribal sovereign law already reflects Schedule III status.
HHS/FDA to establish real-world evidence research standards
ATN's licensing framework includes provisions for DEA-registered laboratory research access and FDA medical cannabis development pathways — building the tribal infrastructure for federally recognized medical cannabis standards of care.
Congress to update hemp-derived CBD definitions
ATN's Constitution and Tribal Cannabis Control (TCC) framework already encompasses hemp-derived cannabinoid products, CBD-to-THC product classifications, and fuller-spectrum product categories — ahead of any Congressional update.
Registration under 21 U.S.C. § 823 for research access
ATN-licensed operations are structured to be registrable under 21 U.S.C. § 823 — the DEA registration statute for Schedule III manufacturers and distributors. This is built into the licensing instrument, not a future add-on.
One of the most significant practical consequences of cannabis rescheduling from Schedule I to Schedule III is banking access. Schedule I classification made cannabis businesses unable to access federal banking — treating legal cannabis operators as unbanked cash businesses. Schedule III changes this landscape fundamentally.
Federal Banking Access
Schedule III cannabis businesses are no longer classified alongside Schedule I controlled substances for federal banking purposes. Banks and credit unions can provide accounts, loans, and payment processing to Schedule III operators without federal regulatory exposure.
IRS § 280E Relief
Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code prohibits business deductions for Schedule I and II controlled substance trafficking. Schedule III reclassification provides partial relief from § 280E for medical pathway products — dramatically improving the economics of compliant cannabis operations.
Payment Processing
Visa, Mastercard, and major payment processors have historically declined cannabis merchants citing Schedule I status. Schedule III removes the primary legal basis for exclusion — opening card-based payment processing to compliant licensed operators for the first time.
ATN BANKING FRAMEWORK — SCHEDULE III COMPLIANT
Cannabis Licensing 2026 — Banking Provisions
- ✓ All ATN licenses issued under Schedule III framework consistent with 21 U.S.C. § 812
- ✓ Licensing instrument structured for federal financial institution compliance
- ✓ FinCEN cannabis banking guidance compatibility built into framework
- ✓ ATN-licensed operators positioned for institutional banking access as rulemaking completes
Tribal Sovereign Banking Advantage
- ✓ Tribal sovereign immunity provides additional layer of institutional protection for banking partners
- ✓ ATN's government-to-government status with federal agencies establishes clean licensing chain
- ✓ Cannabis Licensing 2026 creates the documented federal compliance record banking partners require
- ✓ Tribal licensees operate under ATN's regulatory umbrella — reducing individual compliance burden
This is not a position ATN is taking in anticipation of federal law. This is a statement of existing fact: Agency Tribal Nations is currently operating in compliance with the direction of the President of the United States.
21 U.S.C. § 812 — Controlled Substances Act
The CSA establishes schedules for controlled substances. The HHS recommendation (August 2023), the DOJ proposed rulemaking (May 2024), and the President's Executive Order (December 18, 2025) all establish the federal government's official position that cannabis belongs on Schedule III. ATN's licensing framework is anchored in that position.
Constitution of the Mendocino California Tribal Nations
The supreme law of Agency Tribal Nations — fixed and unchanged. Cannabis Licensing 2026 is derived from and subordinate to the Constitution, which itself is constructed to operate in harmony with federal law. The tribal-federal alignment is constitutional, not merely regulatory.
Master Treaty of Peace — September 17, 2025
The diplomatic and government-to-government foundation of the tribe's relationship with external parties, incorporated into Cannabis Licensing 2026 as Part II. The Treaty establishes the sovereignty framework within which the Schedule III licensing authority operates.
Cannabis Licensing 2026 — Effective April 7, 2026
The operative licensing instrument. Issued by the Office of the Head Chief. Establishes ATN as the issuing authority for Schedule III-compliant cannabis licenses. Incorporates 21 U.S.C. § 823 registration pathways, FDA medical development provisions, and banking-accessible compliance documentation.
Federal Cannabis Policy Timeline — ATN Is Ahead of It
Cannabis Licensing 2026 is a live, active licensing instrument. ATN is currently accepting license applications from operators who wish to be positioned within the first federally compliant tribal cannabis licensing framework — ahead of final federal rescheduling rulemaking.
Why License Under ATN Now
- ✓ First-mover positioning in Schedule III compliant tribal framework
- ✓ Tribal sovereign licensing authority — government-issued compliance documentation
- ✓ Banking-accessible license structure
- ✓ IRS § 280E partial relief pathway for medical products
- ✓ Aligned with President's EO — federal compliance record established
License Categories
- • Cultivation — Schedule III compliant grow operations
- • Manufacturing — extraction, processing, CBD/THC products
- • Distribution — wholesale and commercial supply chain
- • Retail Dispensary — medical and adult-use point of sale
- • Research — DEA § 823-pathway laboratory operations
What You Receive
- • Official ATN-issued Schedule III cannabis license
- • Government compliance documentation for banking partners
- • Tribal sovereign umbrella regulatory coverage
- • Inclusion in ATN federal contractor registry
- • Access to ATN-to-federal agency government channels
Cannabis Licensing 2026 · Federally Compliant Schedule III · Agency Tribal Nations
"President Trump's Executive Order confirms what ATN has already built. We are not waiting for Washington to catch up — Agency Tribal Nations issued its Schedule III licensing framework on April 7, 2026, fully aligned with the President's directive. The tribe is complying with federal law. That is not a future goal. It is the present reality."
Chief Geronimo Thomas Langenderfer XVIII
HEAD CHIEF & FEDERAL CONTRACTOR, Agency Tribal Nations
CANNABIS LICENSING 2026 — FULL DOCUMENT
Federally Compliant Schedule III Framework · Agency Tribal Nations · Effective April 7, 2026
DOWNLOAD FULL LICENSING AGREEMENT
The complete Cannabis Licensing 2026 instrument — Schedule III framework, sovereignty provisions, licensing categories, banking compliance structure, and Master Treaty of Peace.
cannabis-licensing-2026.pdf
Version 1.0 · Effective April 7, 2026 · Agency Tribal Nations
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This press release is issued by Agency Tribal Nations as Public Notice PN-610
Reference: Cannabis Licensing 2026 · Schedule III Federal Compliance Declaration · April 20, 2026
Issued by: Office of the Head Chief, Agency Tribal Nations · Mendocino Indian Reservation
© 2026 Agency Tribal Nations. All rights reserved. This document may be freely distributed with attribution.