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United States News Title: Rand Paul Pushes Marijuana Amendments On Funding Bill As Congress works to end a federal government shutdown that began at midnight on Friday, a Republican senator is trying to insert marijuana into the process. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has filed two far-reaching cannabis amendments that he wants to be part of a deal to reopen the government. One measure would prevent the Justice Department from interfering with state recreational legalization and medical cannabis laws, a big concern in the wake of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessionss recent rescission of Obama-era guidance that has generally allowed local marijuana policies to be implemented without federal harassment: Pauls other amendment concerns the ability of banks to open accounts for marijuana businesses without running afoul of federal regulators: A top Treasury Department official testified before senators this week that the Trump administration is currently weighing whether to tear up an Obama-era memo on cannabis banking in line with Sessionss move to rescind the broader Justice Department guidance on state marijuana laws. It is unclear if either of Pauls amendments will actually be considered and voted on as part of a deal to re-open the federal government following the Friday shutdown. The lapse in spending legislation has put medical cannabis patients and providers at greater risk because an existing protection preventing the Justice Department from undermining medical marijuana laws has now expired, but drug enforcement has not. Under a federal contingency plan, anti-drug agents and prosecutors are exempt from furlough. If Congress passes another bill to fund the government, the medical cannabis protections will go back into effect through whatever date to which the legislation continues spending levels. People complying with broader full-scale marijuana legalization laws will remain at risk of federal enforcement actions, however, unless Pauls relevant amendment is adopted. Earlier this week, House leaders effectively blocked an amendment to protect state marijuana laws from federal interference from being considered on the floor. Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore. Poster Comment: Protecting flyover-country hemp farmers in America's heartland, from BIG stupid government, MAGA. American hemp farmers GOOD, illegal alien DACA s**thole dreamers BAD! Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top Page Up Full Thread Page Down Bottom/Latest
#1. To: hondo68 (#0)
It's ridiculous to have laws on the books while denying the funds to enforce those laws. Either legalize marijuana at the federal level or STFU.
STFU The prosecutorial discretion of administrators and legislators should be respected, you dang scofflaw totalitarian! If Jeff Sessions, the DOJ and other federal law enforcement don't have the courage & wisdom to exercise prosecutorial discretion, then congress will do it for them by cutting off funding. Need some swamp draining to get rid of McConnell, Ryan, and almost all of the rest of congress, before unconstitutional legislation can be repealed and the rule of law & 10th amendment States Rights restored. Prosecutorial discretion??? Ron Paul's amendment flat-out negates the law! Where is there room for discretion?
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