Nancy Pelosi defends cannabis in coronavirus response: 'This is a therapy'
From THEHILL.COM
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday defended the marijuana provisions in the Democrats' most recent round of coronavirus relief, rejecting suggestions that support for the cannabis industry is unrelated to the public health crisis sweeping the country.
"I don't agree with you that cannabis is not related to this," Pelosi said during a press briefing in the Capitol. "This is a therapy that has proven successful."
Pelosi was responding to a reporter's suggestion that Democrats and Republicans were both pushing provisions in their competing emergency stimulus bills that are extraneous to the deadly pandemic and the economic devastation that it's caused.
The Democrats' $3.4 trillion package, approved by the House on May 15, includes language empowering cannabis businesses and their providers — many of which have remained open during the coronavirus crisis — to work with federally backed banks and insurers.
Under current law, financial institutions can face steep penalties if they conduct business with cannabis companies, since the Controlled Substance Act classifies marijuana among the Schedule 1 drugs, which are considered to have no legitimate medical purpose.
Senate Republicans have countered with a $1.1 trillion emergency stimulus bill, which includes roughly $1.8 billion to fund a new FBI building at its current location in Washington.
Critics have pounced, accusing President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump says he will ban TikTok from operating in the US Trump's 2019 financial disclosure reveals revenue at Mar-a-Lago, other major clubs Treasury to conduct policy review of tax-exempt status for universities after Trump tweets MORE of using a public health crisis to advance a pet project he's sought since he entered the White House. The FBI building is a... (Read more)
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Submitted 1362 days ago
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