[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 30 (Thursday, February 15, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF SENSIBLE ENFORCEMENT OF CANNABIS ACT

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                          HON. J. LUIS CORREA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 15, 2018

  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, in January, the U.S. Department of Justice 
(DOJ) rescinded the Cole Memorandum, a directive which has provided a 
framework for states to pursue reasonable regulation of cannabis. DOJ's 
ill-conceived decision adversely affects states, including the State of 
California, that have in ``good faith'' implemented regulatory 
frameworks, relying on the memo.
  In November 2016, the people of California spoke up and voted in 
favor of Proposition 64, which legalized recreational cannabis, joining 
seven states in our nation in making recreational cannabis legal. 
Currently, those laws are being implemented. The recent action by the 
Attorney General puts the industry in jeopardy.
  The State of California has the sixth largest economy in the world 
and accounts for almost 15 percent of our nation's Gross Domestic 
Product. Given the implementation of tax reform and elimination of 
State and Local Tax deductions in the coming year, coupled with our 
limited federal budget due to sequestration, California and other 
states will experience funding shortfalls that need to be addressed. 
The economic constraints being placed on California will slow down our 
economy, but marijuana sales taxes will help provide stability and be a 
mechanism used to fill the funding gaps. By 2020, marijuana sales taxes 
are estimated to potentially reach $1 billion annually in revenue for 
California.
  To date, eight states have legalized recreational cannabis and 
twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia--which represent more 
than half of the American population--have enacted legislation to 
permit the use of medical marijuana. The repeal of the Cole Memo 
contravenes the will of the American public. Furthermore, this decision 
will negatively affect numerous Americans who utilize marijuana for 
medical purposes.
  Therefore, I am introducing the bipartisan Sensible Enforcement of 
Cannabis Act with Representative Gaetz. This legislation will prohibit 
the Attorney General from prosecuting individuals for any conduct that 
concerns medicinal cannabis or recreational use of cannabis in states 
that have authorized cannabis laws. The bill would also include 
exceptions in which the Attorney General would be able to prosecute 
such cases involving the distribution of cannabis to minors, among 
others.

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