House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month

House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month

The House will be voting on a comprehensive marijuana legalization bill in September 2020, congressional leadership confirmed on Friday August 28, 2020.  While the floor vote has not yet been scheduled, Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) said in an email blast to members that the chamber is “expected” to take up the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act during the “September work period.”

9/2/20 – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) confirmed the timing of an upcoming historic vote on Federal legalization. The MORE Act, which would de-schedule and fund programs to repair the harms of the war on drugs, will hit the House floor the week of September 21-about three weeks from now.  WOW!

Imminent Plans to Hold a House Vote on Cannabis De-Scheduling Bill

The news that the house will vote on a historic marijuana legalization bill next month is exciting for so many that have been waiting for so long!  The legislation, introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) last year, cleared the committee panel and was referred to several other committees. It’s not clear whether those committees will waive jurisdiction or mark up the bill in order for it to get a full chamber vote.

A circulated email asks lawmakers to report back by Monday (8/31/20) to say whether they plan to support the bill on the floor.

“Less than two years ago, we put out our blueprint outlining a path to cannabis legalization in the 116th Congress,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a chief advocate for reform in Congress, said.  “Now, after many months of hard work and collaboration, we finally have a chance to end the failed policy of prohibition that has resulted in a long and shameful period of selective enforcement against people of color, especially Black men.”

“As people across the country protest racial injustices, there’s even greater urgency for Congress to seize this historic opportunity and finally align our cannabis laws with what the majority of Americans support, while ensuring restorative justice,” he said.

The House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month is a welcomed bit of news and is long overdue.  As more and more states legalize both medical and recreational marijuana, its time for the Federal Government to get out of the way and let states (through a public vote) decide what should be considered legal in each state and the rules they wish to adopt to get there.  The Federal Government has no business policing state regulations on marijuana, and this scheduled vote is an amazing first step.  There are still many hurdles to leap, but it seems the United States may finally be on its way to equitable new laws and that we may be taking a path to reverse the harm that the war on drugs has caused across our great nation.

 

House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month – September 2020

The MORE Act Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month

The MORE Act would federally de-schedule cannabis, expunge the records of those with prior marijuana convictions and impose a federal five percent tax on sales, revenue from which would be reinvested in communities most impacted by the drug war.

It would also create a pathway for resentencing for those incarcerated for marijuana offenses, as well as protect immigrants from being denied citizenship over cannabis and prevent federal agencies from denying public benefits or security clearances due to its use.

If the House approves the bill, there will still be an open question about whether the Republican-controlled Senate would follow suit. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is a strong advocate for hemp, but he’s maintained steadfast opposition to broader marijuana reform. That said, he did hold closed-door meetings with industry representatives last year, which indicates there may be some room for progress.

It’s possible the House action could push the Senate to take up a more dialed back piece of cannabis reform legislation such as the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, however. That bill, which is sponsored by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), would simply allow states to set their own marijuana policies without fear of federal intervention.

President Trump has expressed support for the proposal.

That said, legalization is decidedly not a Biden priority, as the former vice president has maintained opposition to the reform despite supermajority support among Democrats. He’s drawn the line at cannabis possession decriminalization, medical marijuana legalization, expungement, and modest rescheduling.  The Democratic National Committee’s platform committee recently rejected an amendment that would’ve added legalization as a 2020 party plank. Some advocates suspect that’s because the party didn’t want to adopt a policy at odds with the agenda of their presidential nominee.

House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month – September 2020

Read the Full Congressional Email Below:

The House will be voting soon on H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act); and H.R. 7856, the Fiscal Year 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act

H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act)

During the September work period, the House is expected to consider H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act). The MORE Act decriminalizes marijuana at the federal level by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. This would allow state law to determine the status of marijuana legality for each state.

The bill also requires federal courts to expunge prior marijuana-related convictions and arrests and authorizes the assessment of a 5% sales tax on marijuana and marijuana products to create an Opportunity Trust Fund. This fund would include grant programs administered by the Department of Justice and the Small Business Administration to support individuals who have been adversely affected by the War on Drugs, provide assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged small business owners, and minimize barriers to marijuana licensing and employment.

Check out the bill reported from the Judiciary Committee.

Check out the one-pager from the Judiciary Committee.

Here’s the section-by-section from the Judiciary Committee.

House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month – September 2020

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House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month

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House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month – September 2020