A GOP congressman applauds the passage by the House of an appropriations bill that includes report languages urging the Justice Department to examine state regulatory frameworks of marijuana, in anticipation of federal legalization.
Rep. Dave Joyce, R-OH, co-chairman of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus said on Thursday, “Nearly all states have adopted their own cannabis reforms. It is time for our federal government to respect our voters’ will and begin a necessary conversation about what America would look like after the end of marijuana prohibition.”
He pointed out a specific section in the House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations report (CJS), which is modeled on his standalone bill. This was to prepare the federal governments for eventual legalization.
The report urges DOJ, in conjunction with the Department of the Treasury and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and other agencies “with relevant regulatory expertise,” to evaluate “the adequacy of state marijuana regulatory frameworks” including “commonalities and novel approaches for enforcement and oversight.”
The standalone bill, which Joyce and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffreys (D-NY), introduced in April last year — titled the Preparing Regulators for a Post-Prohibition Adult-Use Regulated Environment Act— would direct the Attorney General to create a panel charged with making recommendations for a cannabis regulatory system that mimics the current alcohol regulation system.
The CJS bill passed by the House, in addition to the report on state regulatory frameworks, would also protect state medical cannabis programs. It would also include a report on increasing scientists’ access commercially available cannabis to conduct research.
The Senate will vote on the continuing resolution by Friday at midnight to avoid a shutdown.
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While lawmakers continue to negotiate a package of spending measures, it will include Financial Services and General Government, which is the vehicle that has been used for a controversial clause that prevents Washington, D.C., from using local tax dollars to implement sales of marijuana, despite voters approving its legalization in 2014.
The House also tried to use the FSGG to protect banks that work for state-legal marijuana businesses . The Senate is preparing to resume its work on the standalone cannabis banking legislation that passed committee in September.
Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (DNY) said on Wednesday to Marijuana Moment that a bipartisan cannabis banking bill is still a “very top priority” in the Senate and that members are currently having “very fruitful” bicameral discussions for a final deal.
Both the top Democratic and Republican sponsors for the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act (SAFER) also praised “momentum”, “productive” discussions, and “progress” in order to complete the task this year.
Veterans groups push Congress to take action on psychedelic therapy and medical marijuana
Photo by Brian Shamblen.
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