Credit unions that want to provide services to legal marijuanabusinesses cleared another hurdle this week on Capitol Hill.

The House voted 236-186 Wednesday to reject an amendment thatwould have blocked the Treasury Department from implementingguidance it issued in February, which told laid out rules fordealing with medical marijuana dispensaries, recreational pot shopsand other businesses in states that have legalized cannabis.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) led the successful effort to defeatthe amendment.

The votes illustrate the increasing social and economicacceptance of marijuana.

The amendment to block the regulatory guidance was offered byRep. John Fleming (R-La.) as part of the FY15 Financial Servicesand General Government Appropriations bill.

In a statement following the vote, Perlmutter, who spoke tocredit unions at GAC in February, said it was critical to defeat Fleming'sproposed amendment.

“Forcing legal and licensed marijuana businesses to operate incash is extremely dangerous and would put my constituents at riskof assault, robbery and other serious crimes,” Perlmutter stated.”This is about public safety. A cash-only business puts all ourcommunities at risk.”

The new guidancefrom the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes EnforcementNetwork, which included a Feb. 14 Department of Justice memo, laidout additional policing responsibilities beyond those typicallyimposed by the Bank Secrecy Act.

The documents also warned that financial institutions – andmarijuana merchants – could be prosecuted if they don't adhere tothe eight federal priorities specified in a 2013 Department ofJustice memo.

Perlmutter said the regulator guidance helped to pave the wayfor banks and credit unions to provide financial services and bankaccounts to Colorado's licensed and regulatedmarijuana-businesses.

Not allowing the guidance to be implemented would have created ahardship for many businesses and individuals, he said.

“It is not fair to small businesses and employees in Colorado,and in the 33 other states and D.C. where some form of marijuana islegal or decriminalized, to be forced out of the banking system anddiscriminated against by the federal government,” Perlmuttersaid.

The House also approved an amendment that would block theTreasury Department and SEC from spending funds to penalizefinancial institutions serving cannabis businesses in states thathave approved laws to allow the plant, according to a release fromPerlmutter. The congressman joined forces with Rep. Denny Heck(R-Wash.) in the effort.

“Passage of this amendment is a positive step forward forfinancial institutions and for legitimate marijuana businesses,”Perlmutter stated. “Legal marijuana businesses are subject togreater risks and penalties because they do not have access to thebanking system. We need to bridge the gap between state andfederal law in order to reflect the reality of the situation in agrowing number of states.”

In July 2013, Rep. Perlmutter and Rep. Denny Heck introducedH.R. 2652, the Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act.