On the eve of Veterans Day, the Senate passed a bill that would allow the Veterans Health Administration to write prescriptions for medical marijuana for the first time in its history. The vote was unanimous at 93-7.

The bill, better known as the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, has been stuck in the Senate for editing and discussion since March.

If a military veteran talks to a VA doctor about alternative treatments today, they will not hear a single peep about medical marijuana. That’s because the VHA has barred discussion of cannabis as a potential treatment and disallows its hospitals from distributing the drug to veterans regardless of state laws. Assuming the new bill passes in the House and receives President Obama’s signature, this strict policy could be completely reversed.

Two dozen states have medical marijuana laws on the books, though they vary in flexibility. The Senate bill would not remove the illegality of marijuana, but it would make it easier for veterans living in pro-medical marijuana states to acquire pot in states that allow its distribution.

Disabled Navy veteran T.J. Thompson was optimistic that this is the first step to opening medical marijuana access to veterans.

“We see this victory as a step toward a peace treaty with the government we volunteered to defend with our lives and as a step toward restoring our First Amendment rights and dignity as citizens,” Thompson said.