Marijuana advocates have their sights set on legalization after lawmakers approved a number of pot-friendly measures Wednesday in a government spending bill.

The marijuana vote-a-rama was capped off by a provision that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from interfering with state medical marijuana laws.

But it’s a marijuana amendment that was rejected that has pot advocates even more excited. A provision that would have blocked the Justice Department from interfering with state laws permitting the use of recreational marijuana came just a few votes shy of passing.

The measure would have essentially ended the federal prohibition on pot, advocates say.

“We’re really, really close to having the votes to end marijuana prohibition,” said Dan Riffle, director of federal policies at the Marijuana Policy Project. [Read more at The Hill]