Last night, Republican leadership filed legislation to fund the government for FY16. There were a number of marijuana-related provisions up for consideration in the omnibus bill. The Office of Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) has reviewed the text of the legislation.
Representative Blumenauer is pleased to see the inclusion of the following provisions in the omnibus package:
- The policy championed by Representatives Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Sam Farr (D-CA) that prevents the Department of Justice from interfering in the ability of states to implement legal medical marijuana laws (Division B, Title V, Section 542)
- Language that supports industrial hemp research allowed under Section 7606 of the 2014 Farm Bill (Division B, Title V, Section 543 and Division A, Title VII, Section 763)
Representative Blumenauer is disappointed, however, that the bill falls short by not including provisions that:
- Make it easier for banks to do business with state-legal marijuana businesses
- Allow Veterans Health Administration providers to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in accordance with state law, a provision he championed in the House
Representative Blumenauer is also disappointed to see the continuation of a rider that interferes with Washington, DC’s ability to pass laws dealing with the sale of marijuana for adult use.
Representative Blumenauer is available for interview. Please contact Nicole L’Esperance at 202-225-4811 or[email protected] to schedule an interview.
Source: Earl Blumenauer’s office
