Congresswoman Lee Praises Medical Marijuana Protection Provision
Washington, D.C. – Last night, the House passed the $1.1 trillion spending bill that was unfortunately littered with gifts for Wall Street and other harmful policy riders.
However, the bill did contain a key provision that Congresswoman Lee strongly supported. The provision prevents federal overreach that would keep Californians from their medicine. The provision prohibits the use of funds by the U.S. Department of Justice to prevent states from implementing their own state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.
“The federal government should never get in between patients and their medicine,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “This provision brings us one step closer to providing relief for those suffering from multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, cancer, HIV/AIDS and other medical conditions.”
Congresswoman Lee was a leading co-sponsor of this provision when it passed the House as the Farr-Rohrabacher amendment to the FY 2015 CJS Appropriations Bill, which passed the House in May. She actively advocated for inclusion of that amendment in the final spending bill.
###
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.