U.S. House Votes to Allow Banks to Accept Deposits from Marijuana Stores and Dispensaries
In a historic vote today the U.S. House passed a bipartisan amendment by Representatives Heck (D-WA), Perlmutter (D-CO), Lee (D-CA) and Rohrabacher (R-CA) preventing the Treasury Department from spending any funding to penalize financial institutions that provide services to marijuana businesses that are legal under state law. The amendment passed 231 to 192.
In May, the House passed an amendment prohibiting the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from undermining state medical marijuana laws and passed two amendments prohibiting the DEA from interfering with state hemp laws.
“Congress is yet again rejecting the failed war on marijuana,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “They have read the poll numbers and are doing both what is right and what is politically smart.”
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that nearly three-in-four Americans (72 percent) believe that efforts to enforce marijuana laws cost more than they are worth, including 78 percent of Independents, 71 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans. There is strong support for state medical marijuana programs, with 80 percent of Democrats, 76 percent of Independents, and 61 percent of Republicans supporting the sale and use of medical marijuana in their state. A majority of Americans support taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol.
http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2014/07/us-house-votes-allow-banks-accept-deposits-marijuana-stores-and-dispensaries
= new reply since forum marked as read
The House?
The U.S. House of Representatives?
An amendment to prohibit use of funds with respect to specified States, to penalize a financial institution solely because the institution provides financial services to an entity that is a manufacturer, producer, or a person that participates in any business or organized activity that involves handling marijuana or marijuana products and engages in such activity pursuant to a law established by a State or local government and engages in such activity pursuant to a law established by a State or local government.
7/15/2014 7:11pm:
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 661, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Heck (WA) amendment.
7/15/2014 7:19pm:
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Heck(WA) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Crenshaw demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d113:HR05016:@@@L&summ2=m&
I know my idiot rep voted against it and fully expect his blast email within the hour bragging about keeping us safe from ourselves.
Obsessed with pot prohibition, obsessed with gun prohibition. Elbowing her way into the DLC round table. Just what the Party needs to re-gain young voters.
I know she's a DINO, as is Rahall , but even CA repukes like Rohrabacher were for it, because of the impact on our state.
