Congresswoman Lee Joins Colleagues in Urging President Obama to Find New DEA Leadership
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee joined Congressmen Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Sam Farr (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), and Jim McDermott (D-WA) in signing a letter led by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The letter calls on President Obama to find new DEA leadership following recent comments by Acting Administrator Rosenberg about medical marijuana being ‘a joke.’
“The Acting Administrator’s comments are simply inappropriate. California, Washington D.C., Guam and 22 other states have medical marijuana laws and these laws must be respected,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “The federal government should not trivialize medicine nor should it be in the business of creating barriers between patients and their medicine.”
The full letter can be found here.
An online petition calling for new DEA leadership organized by Marijuana Majority and Change.org has already garnered 90,000 signatures.
Background:
Last week, Congresswoman Lee was awarded the 2015 Legislator of the Year Award by the National Cannabis Industry Association. Congresswoman Lee is the sponsor of States’ Medical Marijuana Property Rights Protection Act (HR 262) and a co-sponsor of the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act (HR 1013), Marijuana Tax Revenue Act (HR 1014), Compassionate Access Act (HR 1774), Respect State Marijuana Laws Act (HR 1940) and Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act (HR 2076). As a member of the Appropriations Committee, she has led and supported several amendments to protect state-legal cannabis users and businesses.
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.