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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsU.S. House Votes to Allow Banks to Accept Deposits from Marijuana Stores and Dispensaries
In a historic vote today the U.S. House passed a bipartisan amendment by Representatives Heck (D-WA), Perlmutter (D-CO), Lee (D-CA) and Rohrabacher (R-CA) preventing the Treasury Department from spending any funding to penalize financial institutions that provide services to marijuana businesses that are legal under state law. The amendment passed 231 to 192.
In May, the House passed an amendment prohibiting the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from undermining state medical marijuana laws and passed two amendments prohibiting the DEA from interfering with state hemp laws.
Congress is yet again rejecting the failed war on marijuana, said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. They have read the poll numbers and are doing both what is right and what is politically smart.
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that nearly three-in-four Americans (72 percent) believe that efforts to enforce marijuana laws cost more than they are worth, including 78 percent of Independents, 71 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans. There is strong support for state medical marijuana programs, with 80 percent of Democrats, 76 percent of Independents, and 61 percent of Republicans supporting the sale and use of medical marijuana in their state. A majority of Americans support taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol.
http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2014/07/us-house-votes-allow-banks-accept-deposits-marijuana-stores-and-dispensaries
progressoid
(49,990 posts)The House?
The U.S. House of Representatives?
truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)rollin74
(1,974 posts)at least not as currently packaged
from the article:
"Its also likely that the Harris Amendment will not pass the Senate, where the appropriations process has ground to a halt. President Obama has also threatened to veto the underlying bill."
Uncle Joe
(58,362 posts)The momentum is clearly on our side.
rollin74
(1,974 posts)it's just frustrating that changes at the federal level appear to be moving relatively slowly
the feds need to back off and let the states do their thing with regard to this issue
Uncle Joe
(58,362 posts)too slow.
The states and to some degree the House are as sports cars while the Senate and White House which are more disconnected from the people are turning a large ship.
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Harris (R-MD) is trying to block Washington DC's decriminalization law, which goes into effect today. The Heck amendment protects banks so that MMJ isn't a cash-only business any longer.
POTUS has threatened to veto HARRIS if it gets to his desk. The Senate will pull that before it gets to a vote.
D.C.s marijuana decrim law, however, takes effect at midnight tonight, long before the Harris Amendment would take effect. Its also likely that the Harris Amendment will not pass the Senate, where the appropriations process has ground to a halt. President Obama has also threatened to veto the underlying bill.
Uncle Joe
(58,362 posts)Thanks for the thread, Garion.
ChisolmTrailDem
(9,463 posts)KansDem
(28,498 posts)US banks have been laundering drug money for years, so they already have experience.
Accepting deposits from cannabis stores and dispensaries will be a piece of cake!
RKP5637
(67,108 posts)SHRED
(28,136 posts)Any link?
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)An amendment to prohibit use of funds with respect to specified States, to penalize a financial institution solely because the institution provides financial services to an entity that is a manufacturer, producer, or a person that participates in any business or organized activity that involves handling marijuana or marijuana products and engages in such activity pursuant to a law established by a State or local government and engages in such activity pursuant to a law established by a State or local government.
7/15/2014 7:11pm:
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 661, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Heck (WA) amendment.
7/15/2014 7:19pm:
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Heck(WA) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Crenshaw demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d113:HR05016:@@@L&summ2=m&
I know my idiot rep voted against it and fully expect his blast email within the hour bragging about keeping us safe from ourselves.
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Color me confused - it looked like they tabled it for a roll call, and the page ends with:
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 5016 as unfinished business.
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Here is the roll call from another site.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2014/h427
The vote on Amendment 34:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2014/h418?utm_campaign=govtrack_feed&utm_source=govtrack/feed&utm_medium=rss
SHRED
(28,136 posts)D's and R's please.
Garion_55
(1,915 posts)I so wish the media would report this better to show what assholes the GOP is.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Obsessed with pot prohibition, obsessed with gun prohibition. Elbowing her way into the DLC round table. Just what the Party needs to re-gain young voters.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)191 nay votes were Democrats.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2014/h427
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)What else was buried in this bill other than the Harris Amendment to block DC decriminalization?
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2014/h427
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)not this particular amendment.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2014/h418
45 repukes joined with all but 12 Dems to get it passed.
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Sewell, Terri - AL 7th
Sánchez, Linda - CA 38th
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie - FL 23rd
Barrow, John - GA 12th
Lipinski, Daniel - IL 3rd
Keating, William - MA 9th
Dingell, John - MI 12th
Peterson, Collin - MN 7th
McIntyre, Mike - NC 7th
Cuellar, Henry - TX 28th
Matheson, Jim - UT 4th
Rahall, Nick - WV 3rd
Just posted that a few minutes ago in the Drug Policy forum.
My comment wasn't in relation to the Heck Amendment - I want to know what poison pill is in the BILL that the D's stood uniformly against it in total...
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)I know she's a DINO, as is Rahall , but even CA repukes like Rohrabacher were for it, because of the impact on our state.
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Oddly, he sees the handwriting on the wall for the banks/bankers that reside/work in the boroughs...
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Explains the D nay and R yay votes (and Peter King)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014847881
NCjack
(10,279 posts)Garion_55
(1,915 posts)they probably made a deal with gop leadership to get just enough goppers to vote aye to get it to pass.
even this gop isnt going to block something their masters want.
SHRED
(28,136 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Prohibition's days are numbered, I think, and it's about fucking time.
RKP5637
(67,108 posts)Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014847881
This was but one amendment in that bill. Lets see what the Senate does with it (and how the house votes the next round...)