Email Members were also asked to indicate whether they would support further legislation by Sept. 3.
Why is this important? No chamber of Congress has ever voted to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.
“The floor vote on the bill will be the biggest achievement of the federal cannabis reform In more than 50 years, “said Randall Meyer of the Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce.
What is the background? Cannabis is a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, which was signed into law in 1970. The drug, which is classified as Schedule I, has a high probability of abuse and is not defined for any medical benefit. Excluding marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act would mean that it is no longer illegal at the federal level, but it will not immediately legalize its sale in every state. State and federal agencies will still need to create rules and regulations for the production, marketing and sale of marijuana products, and some states will not be able to approve sales even if the federal ban is lifted.
The bill, HR 3884 (116), was introduced by House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler (DNY) last fall and passed the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 24-10 in November. Rep. Matt Gates (Fla.) And Tom McClintock (California.) Were the only Republicans on the committee to vote for the bill.
“Of course I intend to say yes to the bill,” McClintock said Friday. “In terms of timing, I find it ironic that the only small business Democrats are concerned about is the cannabis shop, but I will support this whenever it is brought to a vote on the bill.”
Negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the White House over a new coronavirus relief bill have gone nowhere in recent weeks.
The Moore Act is not the only bill that would remove marijuana from the CSA, but it does create funding for grants to benefit those negatively affected by criminal enforcement, and the bill has received the most support from Democrat leadership and legislation. Advocates.
“People across the country oppose racial injustice, so there is even more urgency for Congress to seize this historic historic opportunity and ultimately align our cannabis law with what most Americans support, while restoration ensures justice,” Rep. Said Earl Blumenour (D-Ore). .), Has long been a champion of cannabis legalization.
Does this mean that marijuana will be legal? No, the odds of this bill being passed in the Senate are still very thin, given the opposition of majority leader Mitch McConnell. During this week’s Republican National Convention, speakers criticized Democrats for prioritizing the sale of marijuana during epidemics rather than more important services such as health care and religious gatherings.
Last November, Nadler dismissed concerns about possible Senate inaction. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to say the Senate won’t take this bill so we don’t pass this bill.” “What to do [so] That is to say, the Senate rules the Rust and the House does not care. ”
Sen is the main sponsor of the bill in the Senate. Kamala Harris (D-California.) Is the Democratic candidate for vice president.
