Hoo Rah!

[GregS]

House Nears Vote On Ending Feds' Medical Marijuana Crackdown Advocates optimistic ahead of vote to defund enforcement.

 

 

Larry Harvey, left, appears at a press conference with Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., Steph Sherer of Americans for Safe Access and Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., on May 7, 2014, in Washington, D.C. Farr and Broun are among the co-sponsors of an amendment to protect people like Harvey, a medical marijuana user facing federal charges in Washington state.

By Steven Nelson May 28, 20142 Comments SHARE

President Barack Obama said in December 2012 his administration had “bigger fish to fry” than legal recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington. But some members of his Department of Justice have continued to wage war on medical marijuana in states that allow it.

That would end if a bipartisan amendment to a spending bill is adopted by the House of Representatives and ultimately becomes law. 

Six Republicans and six Democrats, led by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., are seeking to ban the Department of Justice – which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration and federal prosecutors – from using funds to go after medical marijuana in places where it's allowed by state law.

Floor debate on the spending bill begins Wednesday evening. The amendment may come up for a vote late Wednesday or on Thursday.

 

[READ: Elderly Medical Marijuana User Faces Prison]

A similar amendment was defeated by a vote of 262-165 in 2007.

But reformers sense momentum. In the closest medical marijuana vote to-date, 195 members of the House – including 22 Republicans – voted April 30 to allow doctors at the Veterans Health Administration to discuss marijuana as medicine with patients without institutional penalties. That effort was defeated, with 222 members voting against the proposal.

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., said following that vote some members changed their minds and some supporters were absent.

Demonstrating the shifting inclinations of Congress, one of the 222 “no” votes, Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., introduced a bill to remove barriers to doctors prescribing marijuana. He told U.S. News he believes pot should be available at pharmacies and covered by health insurance, but said he was concerned about inviting VA doctors to break the law.

[CONGRESSMEN: DEA Boss 'Completely Incompetent,' 'Should Assume a Japanese Posture']

National polls show overwhelming support for legal medical marijuana. CBS News gauged support at 86 percent in January and Fox News found 85 percent support in February 2013.

“I think the tables are turning, I’m trying to be optimistic that Congress can act consistently with the popular support for this issue,” says Kris Hermes, a spokesman for the grass-roots medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA).

ASA estimated in a report it released last year that the cost of federal enforcement against medical marijuana was more than $100 million in 2012, part of a three-year spike in the cost of investigating, prosecuting and incarcerating people who comply with state laws. The group estimated Obama’s Justice Department had thus far spent nearly $300 million combating medical marijuana, compared to less than $200 million spent during the entire George W. Bush administration.

“We welcome any clarification or correction that the Justice Department would like to make to our numbers,” Hermes says.

[RELATED: Congressman Unveils 'Conservative' Case for Medical Marijuana]

In one of the most high-profile recent prosecutions, the so-called Kettle Falls 5 – a family of four, plus a friend – are facing long federal prison sentences, including mandatory minimums. The five have medical conditions that qualify them to use marijuana under Washington state law, and admittedly tended a pot garden in a rural area.

 

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Editorial Cartoons on Pot Legalization

The eldest of the five defendants, 70-year-old Larry Harvey, joined Farr and Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., near the U.S. Capitol on May 7 for a news conference. He cheerfully told reporters about how his wife cooked marijuana cookies, which he ate to alleviate severe knee pain.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in August federal prosecutors should begin avoiding charges that carry mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug crimes. But the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington and others are not bound by that guidance.

ASA is asking supporters to contact their member of Congress ahead of the amendment vote.

“We’re close, we’re definitely within striking distance,” says Mike Liszewski, ASA’s government affairs director. “There’s a growing number of members who have constituencies that are directly affected.”

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[+washtenaut]

Anyone happen to see the debate?  They took an 'aye or nay' vote and it sure sounded on TV (c-span) that the ayes had it, meaning the amendment would pass. 

 

Instead the chairperson said that in his opinion, the nay's won so the amendment failed. 

 

When the amendment author asked for a formal vote, the chairperson mumbled something about a rule or bylaw that allowed the vote to be postponed.  He then postponed any further voting.

[GregS]

Anyone happen to see the debate?  They took an 'aye or nay' vote and it sure sounded on TV (c-span) that the ayes had it, meaning the amendment would pass. 

 

Instead the chairperson said that in his opinion, the nay's won so the amendment failed. 

 

When the amendment author asked for a formal vote, the chairperson mumbled something about a rule or bylaw that allowed the vote to be postponed.  He then postponed any further voting.

Coksucker.

[GregS]

US House Votes to Prohibit DOJ From Interfering With State Medical Marijuana or Industrial Hemp Programs

• by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications DirectorMay 30, 2014
      

   

  After a long debate that had the US House of Representatives in session until after midnight, the lower chamber of Congress cast a historic 219 to 189 vote to restrict the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration from using taxpayer funds to interfere in state-sanctioned medical marijuana programs.

  This measure was co-sponsored by Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.), Reps. Rohrabacher (R-Calf.), Don Young (R-Alaska), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Paul Broun (R-Ga.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Steve Stockman (R-Texas), and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).

  170 Democrats and 49 Republicans voted in favor of the amendment, 172 Republicans and 17 Democrats voted against it.

  “It would be hard to overstate the importance of tonight’s vote,” said NORML Communications Director Erik Altieri, “Approval of this amendment is a resounding victory for basic compassion and common sense.”

  The House also approved amendments that prohibit the DOJ and DEA from using funds to interfere with state sanctioned industrial hemp cultivation.

  These amendments were made to the 2015 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill, which now must be approved by the Senate and then signed by President Obama.

- See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2014/05/30/us-house-votes-to-prohibit-doj-from-interfering-with-state-medical-marijuana-or-industrial-hemp-programs/#sthash.V8fEOras.dpuf