Rand Paul and Cory Booker to offer amdt to protect state medical marijuana laws

[tsai3904]

Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) to Offer Groundbreaking Medical Marijuana Amendment on Senate Floor

Similar Bipartisan Amendment Passed the U.S. House a Few Weeks Ago in Historic Victory

Amendment Seeks to Protect 32 States With Medical Marijuana Laws from Federal Interference

Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) will offer an amendment to a federal spending bill that would prohibit the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from undermining state marijuana laws. The House approved a similar bipartisan measure on May 29th. An amendment prohibiting the DEA from interfering with state hemp production for research purposes also passed the U.S. House. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a similar hemp amendment in committee June 5th that was offered by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

“The House just made history last month by voting to stop the DEA from interfering with state marijuana laws,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “Now every U.S. Senator has the opportunity to provide relief for the sick and dying – and to be on the right side of history, not to mention public opinion.”

...

More:
http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2014...cory-booker-d-nj-offer-groundbreaking-medical

Here's the House vote:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll258.xml

Text of House amendment:

Sec. __. None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.

 

[Vanguard101]

More bipartisanship extending liberty? He's looking more presidential day by day

 

[pmbug]

Curious that the house amendment lists specific states instead of just applying to all states.

 

[acptulsa]

Curious that the house amendment lists specific states instead of just applying to all states.

Notable that Oklahoma--a state where lots of it is grown--and Arkansas--a major conduit state, especially back in the Clinton years--are both specifically omitted from the list.

 

[Brett85]

If this comes up for a vote, it will be interesting to see whether Cruz votes for it or not.