2021: Fitzpatrick Voted For Repealing A Law That Authorizes Higher
Penalties For Crack Cocaine Offenses Compared To Powder Cocaine, Which
Would Eliminate Cocaine Sentencing Disparity. In September 2021,
Fitzpatrick voted for the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application
of the Law Act which would, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"eliminate the federal sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and
powder cocaine by repealing a law that authorizes higher penalties for
crack cocaine offenses compared to powder cocaine offenses, with the
repeal effective retroactively. It would authorize sentencing courts to
impose reduced sentences under the new guidelines for individuals
convicted prior to the bill's enactment." The vote was on passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote of 361-66. [House Vote 297,
9/28/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/28/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1693]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Eliminate Disparity In Federal Sentencing
Between Drug Offenses Involving Crack Cocaine And Powder Cocaine. In
July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which would
"eliminate the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses
involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine." The vote was on passage.
The House passed the bill by a vote 329-101, thus the bill was sent to
the Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action on the
legislation. The FY 2023 Defense Authorization was passed with H.R.
7776. [House Vote 350,
7/14/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/14/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7900]
2020: Fitzpatrick Voted Against An Amendment To The Six-Bill FY 2021
Appropriations Package That Prevented The Justice Department From
Interfering With State Marijuana Legalization Programs. In July 2020,
Fitzpatrick voted against an amendment to the FY 2021 six-bill
appropriations package that would, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"prohibit the use of funds provided by the bill to prevent states,
tribes or territories from implementing laws that authorize the use,
distribution, possession or cultivation of marijuana." The vote was on
adoption. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of 254-163. [House
Vote 174, 7/30/20;
Congressional Quarterly,
7/30/20; Congressional
Quarterly,
H.Amdt.864;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.7617]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For Protecting Financial Services Institutions
That Provide Services To Marijuana-Related Businesses And Service
Providers. In September 2019, Fitzpatrick voted for a bill that would,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit federal banking
regulators from penalizing financial service institutions for providing
services to marijuana-related businesses and service providers operating
in accordance with state law. It would protect all ancillary businesses
that provide services to marijuana-related businesses from criminal
liability." The vote was on a motion to suspend the rules and pass the
bill. The House passed the bill by a vote of 321-103. [House Vote 544,
9/25/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/25/19;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.1595]
The Bill Countered Financial Firms' Hesitance Towards Working With
Marijuana Dispensaries And Growers, Resulting In A Largely Cash-Only
Industry. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The cultivation
and sale of marijuana remains illegal under federal law, which means
the proceeds are subject to anti-money laundering laws. As a result,
most financial firms have been hesitant to work with
state-authorized dispensaries and growers, forcing them to run
cash-only businesses. That makes it harder for cannabis
entrepreneurs to get the startup funds to launch new businesses and
makes those that do manage to get going a target for robbers."
[Congressional Quarterly,
8/15/19]
Marijuana Legalization Advocates Were More Concerned With The
Criminal Justice Aspect Of Marijuana Policy And Were Disappointed
With The Bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, "some
legalization advocates who have focused on the criminal justice
aspects of marijuana's criminalization are disappointed that such a
narrowly tailored bill might suck up all the political oxygen.
'People don't have any substantive objection to banking
legislation, but they do have a concern that if the House moved
something that doesn't have that racial justice lens, then you end
up in an 'one and done' situation,' said Michael Collins, director
of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance." [Congressional
Quarterly, 8/15/19]
Republicans Opposed The Bill Because It Didn't Expand Protections
For Banks From Operating With Other Controversial Industries Such As
Firearms Dealers. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Some GOP
members of the House Financial Services Committee who voted against
Perlmutter's bill have said they'd be more willing to back it if it
expanded protections to all legal entities operating in accordance
with federal law --- language intended to prevent the revival of
"Operation Choke Point," an Obama-administration program that
discouraged banks from doing business with controversial industries
like firearms dealers and payday lenders." [Congressional
Quarterly, 4/4/19]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted Against An Amendment To The FY 2020 Continuing
Appropriations Bill That Allowed States To Authorize Use, Distribution,
And Possession Of Marijuana. In June 2019, Fitzpatrick voted against
an amendment that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit
the use of funds made available for the Justice Department under the
bill for the purpose of preventing 46 of the 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico or the U.S.
Virgin Islands, from implementing laws relating to the authorized use,
distribution, possession or cultivation of marijuana." The vote was on
adoption of the amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of
267-165. [House Vote 370,
6/20/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/20/19;
Congressional Actions,
H.Amdt.398;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.3055]