The House Energy & Commerce Committee is voting today on almost 40 bills, including the Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2019. You can watch the markup here:
Really digging Chairman @FrankPallone's red wall on this virtual committee markup.
Chairman Pallone says they'll be dealing with the more controversial bills first ... usually that would mean marijuana, but in this case? Research has pretty broad support and the bill is cosponsored by a Dem and a Republican.
Chairman @FrankPallone says he's pleased they are passing legislation to expand research into medical marijuana today in his opening statement. #cannabisnews
Pallone also says "the idea is to move these to the floor."
"I'm not saying necessarily that's going to happen, but that's what we're trying to do."
There's about 3 weeks left in the session before everyone heads home for the last stretch of campaigning.
Ranking Member @repgregwalden, from Oregon, doesn't mention the cannabis research bill in his opening statement. He is, however, a cosponsor of the bill.
I think it's going to be a while before we get to #cannabis research here, so hang in there.
Ok, we're finally at this bill. Rep @MorganGriffith says that he thinks this medical marijuana bill will "get it done" but if it doesn't, he's ready to come back next year and try this again.
So @RepDebDingell says she asked John Dingell to try marijuana (which is legal in Michigan) and he wouldn't because there isn't enough data.
Bill advances out of committee by voice vote.
Ok what's next? Pallone said at the beginning of this hearing that he wants to see all these bills come to the floor. With only 3 weeks left in session, that seems like a tall order but not undoable.
In the Senate, research has bipartisan support but I doubt it'll move b4 Nov.
Democrats though right now are trying to rack up bills in an effort to show what they can do. Multiple lawmakers told me for this story that voting on cannabis legalization could prove to voters what Dems can do and hopefully motivate base to flip Senate. politico.com/news/2020/09/0…
Could marijuana research join the crowd? It's totally possible.
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