[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 64 (Wednesday, May 11, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INTRODUCING THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP FARMING ACT

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                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2011

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the Industrial Hemp 
Farming Act. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act requires the Federal 
Government to respect State laws allowing the growing of industrial 
hemp.
  Nine States--Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North 
Dakota, Oregon, Vermont, and West Virginia--allow industrial hemp 
production or research in accord with State laws. However, Federal law 
is standing in the way of farmers in these States growing what may be a 
very profitable crop. Because of current Federal law, all hemp included 
in products sold in the United States must be imported instead of being 
grown by American farmers.
  Since 1970, the federal Controlled Substances Act's inclusion of 
industrial hemp in the schedule one definition of marijuana has 
prohibited American farmers from growing industrial hemp despite the 
fact that industrial hemp has such a low content of THC (the 
psychoactive chemical in the related marijuana plant) that nobody can 
be psychologically affected by consuming hemp. Federal law concedes the 
safety of industrial hemp by allowing it to be legally imported for use 
as food.
  The United States is the only industrialized nation that prohibits 
industrial hemp cultivation. The Congressional Research Service has 
noted that hemp is grown as an established agricultural commodity in 
approximately 30 nations in Europe, Asia, North America, and South 
America. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act will relieve this unique 
restriction on American farmers and allow them to grow industrial hemp 
in accord with State law.
  Industrial hemp is a crop that was grown legally throughout the 
United States for most of our Nation's history. In fact, during World 
War II, the Federal Government actively encouraged American farmers to 
grow industrial hemp to help the war effort. The Department of 
Agriculture even produced a film ``Hemp for Victory'' encouraging the 
plant's cultivation.
  In recent years, the hemp plant has been put to many popular uses in 
foods and in industry. Grocery stores sell hemp seeds and oil as well 
as food products containing oil and seeds from the hemp plant. 
Industrial hemp is also included in consumer products such as paper, 
cloths, cosmetics, carpet, and door frames of cars. Hemp has even been 
used in alternative automobile fuel.
  It is unfortunate that the Federal Government has stood in the way of 
American farmers competing in the global industrial hemp market. 
Indeed, the founders of our Nation, some of whom grew hemp, would 
surely find that federal restrictions on farmers growing a safe and 
profitable crop on their own land are inconsistent with the 
constitutional guarantee of a limited, restrained Federal Government. 
Therefore, I urge my colleagues to stand up for American farmers and 
cosponsor the Industrial Hemp Farming Act.

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