Congresswoman Barbara Lee Speaks on House Floor, Applauds the Historic Passage of Comprehensive Marijuana Reform Legislation
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, today released a statement following the historic passage of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, which aims to correct the historical injustices of failed drug policies, which have disproportionately impacted communities of color and low-income communities.
The MORE Act, the most comprehensive marijuana reform bill ever introduced in Congress, would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, reassess marijuana convictions, and invest in local communities. The historic vote passed out of the House 220 to 204, and marks the second time a full chamber of Congress has approved a reform to our federal cannabis policy. Congresswoman Lee’s Marijuana Justice Act, the first racial justice cannabis reform bill introduced in Congress, was included in this comprehensive legislation.
“I am so proud to have passed the MORE Act today. This bill is the product of many, many years of advocacy for federal cannabis reform and equity,” said Rep. Lee. “Make no mistake: this is a racial justice bill. It’s about the thousands of people of color who sit in jail for marijuana offenses while others profit. It’s about finally repairing the harms of the War on Drugs on communities and families across the country. I thank all those who have made this day possible and urge my colleagues to pass the companion bill in the Senate expeditiously.”
Her remarks on the House floor can be viewed here, and a transcript is available below.
Full remarks:
Madam Speaker,
I rise in strong support of H.R. 3617, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, the MORE Act. I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Nadler, my fellow co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, Congressman Blumenauer, and the Chairs of the Committees of Jurisdiction for their leadership and bringing this to the floor. I also want to share my condolences with the family of our colleague, the late Representative Don Young, a champion on this issue, and honor his memory as a founding Member and Co-Chair of the Cannabis Caucus.
Additionally, I want to thank the advocates for educating the public on this issue. This is an important racial justice bill, the product of years of work by so many.
The MORE Act includes my legislation, the Marijuana Justice Act and the Refer Act: the first marijuana racial justice bills introduced in Congress. This bill would end federal prohibition and decriminalize cannabis by removing it from the list of the Controlled Substances Act.
Make no mistake: this is a racial justice bill. According to the ACLU, Black Americans are nearly 4 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis related crimes than white Americans despite equal rates of use. These arrests can have a detrimental impact on a person’s quality of life, it can lead to difficulty finding employment, securing housing, and accessing other benefits.
While cannabis is a multi BILLION dollar industry and brings tax revenue of billions to our states- over 950 people are arrested daily for marijuana related offenses- this is unjust.
Currently, 38 states, D.C, and territories have some form of legal cannabis for medicinal or adult use, including my home state of California. This is not a partisan issue- our constituents have voted on this in state referendums and it’s our responsibility to bring their voices to Congress. Public opinion polls support this. In fact, over 50 years ago Congress’ “National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse”, or Shafer Commission, formally recommended Congress repeal federal penalties criminalizing marijuana. We must end the failed policy of marijuana prohibition. Marijuana justice is racial justice.
I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and Administration on this issue, and urge my colleagues to vote yes.
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress