Good morning! Here’s how Cascadia’s Members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending Friday, December 4th, 2020.
In the United States House of Representatives
LEGALIZING MARIJUANA UNDER FEDERAL LAW: Voting 228 for and 164 against, the House on December 4th passed a bill (H.R. 3884) that would allow marijuana to be used legally for medicinal and recreational purposes under federal law while allowing states to continue to set their own marijuana policies.
The bill would federally decriminalize marijuana, or cannabis, by removing it from the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, which outlaws possession, sale and cultivation and imposes stiff fines and potential jail time for all but the most minor offenses. In addition, the bill would:
- Impose a five to eight percent sales tax on cannabis products, which would fund programs in communities devastated by drug abuse as well as Small Business Administration lending to commercial marijuana operations;
- Allow the Veterans Health Administration to write marijuana prescriptions in states and territories where medicinal use is legal;
- Require the expungement and sealing of federal marijuana convictions and a review of sentences for those serving time for offenses including the possession of small amounts;
- Require the Department of Transportation to develop best practices to guide local, state and federal law enforcement in testing and recognizing drivers impaired by marijuana;
- Prohibit any denial of benefits or protections under immigration law based on federal marijuana convictions;
- Require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on marijuana enterprises.
At least thirty-six states and territories authorize the medicinal use of marijuana, nearly a third of which also permit recreational use. Several other states have eased marijuana rules to a lesser degree and six states — Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wyoming — totally outlaw cannabis.
Mary Gay Scanlon, D‑Pennsylvania., the federal marijuana policy “has failed our youth, failed to stem more harmful drug usage and, most notably, has failed communities of color.… because when it comes to marijuana, there are two justice systems in the United States — a gentler, more understanding system mostly available to White Americans and the punitive, less forgiving system primarily enforced against Black and brown Americans.”
Gregory Murphy, R‑North Carolina, said the bill fails to prevent “edibles from getting in the hands of adolescents and young adults whose brains are still growing.…Marijuana is a gateway drug [that] undoubtedly leads to further and much more dangerous drug use, and while I do believe that medical marijuana can [help] in chronic pain or those with cancer, this bill simply goes way too far.”
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Voting Nay (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson | |
Voting Aye (4): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader Voting Nay (1): Republican Representative Greg Walden | |
Voting Aye (7): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Denny Heck Voting Nay (2): Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera-Beutler and Cathy McMorris Rodgers Not Voting (1): Republican Representative Dan Newhouse |
Cascadia total: 11 aye votes, 5 nay votes, 1 not voting
REJECTING WORKPLACE MARIJUANA TESTING: Voting 174 for and 218 against, the House on December 4th defeated a Republican measure to guarantee that employers, under the terms of H.R. 3884 (above), would have the right to test job applicants and employees for marijuana impairment to ensure the safety of the workplace. A yes vote was to adopt the motion.
Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson | |
Voting Aye (1): Republican Representative Greg Walden Voting Nay (4): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader | |
Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera-Beutler and Cathy McMorris Rodgers Voting Nay (7): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Denny Heck Not Voting (1): Republican Representative Dan Newhouse |
Cascadia total: 5 aye votes, 11 nay votes, 1 not voting
In the United States Senate
SPEEDING ALS DISABILITY BENEFITS: Voting 96 for and one against, the Senate on December 2nd passed a bill (S. 578) that would enable victims of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) to start receiving Social Security disability benefits at the time of their diagnosis.
This would waive the statutory five-month wait period for receiving Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits. The bill awaits House action.
The negative vote was cast by Mike Lee, R‑Utah.
Tom Cotton, R‑Arkansas, said the bill would ensure that ALS victims “don’t have to worry about benefits and can focus instead on the things that really matter during what could be their final months on earth.”
No senator spoke against the bill.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting Aye (2): | |
Voting Aye (2): | |
Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 6 aye votes
CONFIRMING FEDERAL RESERVE GOVERNOR: Voting 48 for and 47 against, the Senate on December 3rd confirmed Christopher J. Waller, sixty-one, for a term on the Federal Reserve System board of governors due to expire in January 2030. Waller had been executive vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. His confirmation leaves one vacancy on the seven-member board. A yes vote was to confirm the nominee.
Voting Aye (2): | |
Voting Nay (2): | |
Voting Nay (2): |
Cascadia total: 2 aye votes, 4 nay votes
Key votes ahead
Congress will debate regular 2021 appropriations and the 2021 military budget in the week of December 7th and could also vote on a coronavirus relief package.
Editor’s Note: The information in NPI’s weekly How Cascadia’s U.S. lawmakers voted feature is provided by Voterama in Congress, a service of Thomas Voting Reports. All rights are reserved. Reproduction of this post is not permitted, not even with attribution. Use the permanent link to this post to share it… thanks!
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