[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 118 (Monday, July 22, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H4719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECLASSIFYING MARIJUANA

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Madam Speaker, last month, the Biden administration took 
steps toward legalizing marijuana by attempting to reclassify it as a 
lower category drug, going around Congress in the process. If enacted, 
this would increase the use of an already dangerous substance.
  We have already seen this in California, the State with the highest 
rate of marijuana users. It is no surprise that California also has the 
highest rate of welfare recipients. We have one-eighth of the Nation's 
population, and about one-third of the State's population is on 
assistance. I believe the government should disincentivize the use of 
this harmful drug and not allow banks to prop up this immoral industry.
  Recently, there have been efforts in Congress to exempt financial 
institutions from penalties if they provide financial services to 
marijuana companies. The Federal Government should have no role in 
encouraging citizens to break Federal law by incentivizing banks to 
handle the money in these industries. These measures give a green light 
to the evil that comes from drug use.
  The addicts will rely on State welfare and disability payments for 
unemployment. Their medical problems will increase, draining our 
already strained healthcare system, which taxpayers are going to foot 
the bill for that.
  Let's not be doing any more to legalize marijuana or pretend that it 
is legal through financial institutions.

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