Senate Democrats To Move To Federally Legalize Marijuana

Schumer and Biden to use reconcilliation to pass COVID relief

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Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:25 pm

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Democrats would move forward on legalization and reforming federal marijuana laws.

Transcript of Politico’s interview with Majority Leader Schumer:

What role does President Biden play in this? He does not support the full legalization of cannabis. Are you worried that he could veto this bill if it passes?

SCHUMER: Well, he said he’d like to see more information on the issue. I respect that. I certainly will have an ongoing conversation with him and tell him how my views evolved. And hope that his will to.

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Will the Senate move forward even if the president’s views do not evolve on this?

SCHUMER: We will move forward. He said he’s studying the issue, so [I] obviously want to give him a little time to study it. I want to make my arguments to him, as many other advocates will. But at some point we’re going to move forward, period.

President Biden has shown the ability to evolve on issues after he studies them. Biden is definitely not in the mold of the “war on drugs” Republicans, but he is being cautious on this issue,

Even if Biden doesn’t come around quickly on the issue, the Senate is going to act. Sen. Cory Booker has been a leader in the Senate on the issue as he views it as a key piece to criminal justice reform and lowering the rate of incarceration, especially for African-Americans.

Mitch McConnell would not allow a legalization bill to be brought to the Senate floor.

The states have shown that legalization is overwhelmingly successful and can create a cash windfall through a new tax revenue stream.

It will be historic when the Senate takes up a bill to federally legalize marijuana.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association